The fiery Spanish girl and the tough son of a bitch Commander
by BlueFeatherStar
Summary: Tup. Taz is rescued by a strange man after robots kill her family. This man turns out to be Up, a starship ranger who becomes her mentor and best friend.
1. Taz

"Taliciana, wake up!" the soft call of her Madre called into Taz's room.

"5 more minutes." Taz responded.

"TALICIANA." the scream of her madre banging two pots together made the short Hispanic teenager fly out of bed and hit her head on the pan.

"¿QUE PASA?" Taz yelled and glared at her Madre.

"Jour Quinceañera starts in two hours."

"Ugh... Do I have to?" Taz moaned.

"Up Up UP!" Rosa Lopez grabbed her daughter and thrust her into the bathroom. Taz stepped into the shower and scrubbed her skin, her black curls tied under a shower cap.

"But Madre, the Robots are still trying to invade our city." Taz heard her younger brother Anton whimper.

"Taz's big day and jou won't even get out of bed." Rosa yelled at the 8 year old as Taz crossed the Hallway.

"Happy Birthday." Taz's 18 year old brother grinned from the door. "Arnt jou supposed to be in a dress?" he asked looking at her bath robe.

"Shouldn't jou be in a tux?" she snorted. Andre shrugged and walked back to his room. Rosa appeared and looked at Taz.

"Taliciana, let's get one of de dresses." Taz had 3 dresses, as her mother couldn't pick and Taz couldn't give a dead-goddamn toss. The first dress was a Buttery Yellow. The second a Bottle Green and the last a Magenta Pink.

"Ugh." Taz moaned in the Yellow Dress.

"Jour so fussy!" Rosa moaned at her daughter as Taz ripped the dress off her back. Rosa slipped the Green Dress over Taz's sharp shoulder blades. She liked this one better than the others, the dark green silk complemented her eyes beautifully. However Rosa wasn't convinced.

"Let's just..." she pulled the Silk off her daughter before throwing the bright pink frills over her head.

"Better." Rosa declared and began to make Taz's face up with Powder.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, a Tall Starship Ranger Lieutenant sat with his squadron eating his breakfast.

"Up!" the man next to him nudged.

"Yeah Jed?" Up turned to his friend.

"Quit spilling Cereal on me." Jed laughed and pinged a cornflake at Up, who caught it and placed it in his mouth.

"Men hurry up! Squardon 1564 is losing and we're their back up!" A tall commander yelled.

"Go Go GO!" Skyet yelled as everyone ran into position.

Lieutenant Up looked at his Commander and ran his hand through his Pre-maturely greying hair. His blue eyes shined as he kitted up and jumped in a truck.

"Madre, look!" Anton yelled as he stared at the bridge. Swarms of Robots were stomping over it.

"De Rangers will sort them out." Andre told Anton. Their father looked out of the window as their car left their estate on the east side of the city. Taz was sat in the back, the puffs of netting and mesh was rubbing her skin. She sighed and looked at the robots. She wanted a gun and wanted to shoot them robots dead. Meirda, they were close. Sunlight glinting off them as they stomped. She could see the rangers out there already, shooting.

"Lieutenant Up, You and Jed are to search invaded buildings with your group and to clear them." Skyets yelled. "And get civilians out!" he yelled down the Radio. "Over." Up saw a car headed towards the Hispanic area of town. He sprinted and reached the car and signalled it.

"¿Que te Pasa Señor?" the driver asked.

"Get out of the City. "

"Sorry, I am going to my neices Quinceañera." He replied.

"What's that?" Up asked. The man shook his head and drove on.

Taz stood to the side of the room as everyone danced. She swayed in her high heels. She hated high heels. She loved Combat boots. She hated girly shiny uncomfy shoes like these.

"¿Que?" her friend Miquel asked her.

"I have headache. De Musica is to loud." Taz complained. Miguel laughed.

"Other than that?"

"I want to be a Ranger." Taz blurted.

"Taliciana...?"

"Taz!"

"But...why?"

"My life is planned out for me. I guess it's the same with most Latino Heiresses. But I want to save de world, I want to fight Battles. I want to win..." Taz sighed. Miquel laughed.

"Jou'd make a great ranger. I mean all those years we spent running in jour Garden, 'fighting' with Andre, jou'd be great." Taz laughed at his complements.

"Yeah, as if Dominic and Rosa Lopez would let their only daughter join de starshi-" the paused as all the windows in the room smashed. Robots poured in, shooting everyone. Taz and Miquel ran through to the cupboard they were stood beside the entrance to.

Fifteen minuets later, Taz peeped her head around the door, and stepped out into her Quinceañera. Dead bodies littered the floor, she saw her aunt Hilda with her head snapped back and a whole in her chest. Taz turned to the robots still in the room and leapt over the bodies screaming at them. Anton was hid under a table which was cornered.

"ANTON!" she yelled

"TAZ!" Miguel yelled after her.

A robot turned and shot at Taz, who ducked. It hit Miquel squarely on the chest. He fell backwards. Taz's eyes widened as she ducked another shot before grabbing one of the Quesadilla plates and smashing the metal dish over a robots head. She then ran towards another and tripped in those stupid heels. Taz heard a snap and kicked the heel off that foot to find her shin was broken. She hurled the show and it caught a Robot in the eye, however when she tried to stand back up her leg snapped more and Taz found herself flying foramwards. She grabbed a table leg and the table flew over, shielding Anton better as she stood up.

"COMMANDER! WE'VE GOT TRAPPED CIVILLIANS TWO BLOCKS AWAY OVER." An Ensign screeched.

"JED! DON! PEIRCE! UP! GO! OVER" Commander Skyet yelled and the three Ensigns and Lieutenant ran down an alleyway towards the building in Question.

"Not safe at all... over." Don yelled down the radio, as he cut out Up heard a girl scream from inside. It was the kind that sent chills down your spine, the scream evolved into an angered screech and Up ran in. He leapt over a body, nearly puking and saw the girl, she pulled a shoe off her foot and threw it at a Robot. The other was lodged into another's head. There was a fire somewhere, as smoke filled the room. Up realised that some of the Bodies were burning. The two remaining robots were holding onto the girl now. Her pink dress torn and scorched and her bare feet bloody. He realised that this must have been the Quinceañera that man was talking about, as she was cursing in Spanish.

"TAZ!" a boy under the table screeched. As Up ran towards the girl, presumably 'Taz', she was lifted into the air by the robots who began to swing a food dish at her. Up shot the first in the back, who dropped her and Taz grabbed the food dish and swung it onto the head of the robot remaining, who shot one last laser in the direction of the table. The teenager panted heavily.

"Are you okay?" Up asked her.

"I'm fine, thanks. Anton?"

"Taz? It hurts." Anton cried. The last shot had hit the right year old in the abdomen. Taz screamed and tried to run to him, before falling over her broken leg. Up helped her up but it was clear Anton would die. His brown skin was almost the color of Up's. He was shaking and the pool of blood was about a meter in each direction.

"Mi Hermano. Mi Hermano." Taz repeated until he stopped whimpering. Anton was dead.

"C'mon missy." Up looked at Taz and held out a hand after Taz had sat their for ten minuets.

"He's gone... Who are jou?" she asked.

"Im Lieutenant Up, a Starship Ranger. We need to get you to a hospital." Taz didn't trust him at first but when he announced he was a ranger, she trusted him more. She took his hand and she stood up, taking dazed steps and not allowing Up to carry her.

"I'm Taz." she said halfway through the walk. Up had her look at the door and he would lift her gently over each body, as the first one she encountered had been that of her cousin. When they got outside the rest of the squadron were winning the city back.

"Permission to take Civilian to Hospital. Over." Up said to the Radio Dan was holding.

"Permission Granted. Over." the reply was swift.

"Request for approximately 200 bodies from Applegreen Hall removed. Over."

"Shit. That bad? over."

"One survivor. Over and Out." Up finished the call before walking to the nearest abandoned car and opening the door for Taz who sat down with tears sliding down her face as she realised her family was gone.


	2. Wanted

I don't own Taz, Up or Space-Claw in any way shape or form, they belong to the amazing Starkid Productions ;

"Hey." Up greeted Taz as she sat on a pure white bed in a hospital. The room smelt strongly of cleaning fluids and antibacterial liquid. Taz looked up from the book she was reading.

"Hi." she looked at him. She sighed. Robots had invaded her home last night, however Up was in that Squadron and grabbed anything Spanish-looking for Taz, including about twenty books.

"You okay?" He asked her as he sat on the chair beside her. Taz didn't look up, a tear rolled down her check and she started sobbing. "Hey hey hey." Up lifted his thumb under her chin and raised her head before he looked her in the eye. Taz saw his eyes were Blue, and the most beautiful ones she'd ever seen.

"Mi Familia…" Taz began. Up pulled her into a hug.

"My family were killed by the Robots when I was twelve." Up sighed. "I lived in an orphanage until I was 15 and enrolled in the Academy." Up told her.

"Jour familia is dead also?" Taz asked, her eyes wide. Up nodded.

"Everyone but my Brother, who is a Commander here, as he's eight years older than me. Commander Rick."

"I thought Commanders were addressed by deir second names..?" Taz asked.

"Me and Rick don't know ours." Up explained. "I can't even remember my first name, I've been Up for so long."

That day was spent laughing at stories Taz would translate from her book, crying at stories of their past and comforting each other if they did cry. Taz found herself liking this man - Up - even more than most people here. She'd only met four.

"Time for you injection and then your Discharged." A Nurse came in.

"Discharged? Where will I go?" Taz asked.

"Civilian Camp outside town." The Nurse explained as the final painkiller was shoved in Taz's arm.

"But... Why can't I stay on jour ship?" Taz asked.

"Civilians on our ships are only there if they've been a ranger." The Nurse began to explain the whole thing as Taz realized she would have to go back to her Planned Life, instead of being a Ranger. Taz looked at Up.

"I want to see if she can go into the Academy." Up announced. "She took down a Robot with a fucking Shoe." he added, laughing. The nurse nodded.

"I see." she swept out of the room and a man replaced her a while later.

"Up we don't have recruits younger than 15." he shook his head.

"She is 15." Up told him. The man looked at her.

"I am ambassador Space-Claw. This Starship's ambassador to the whole Galactic League. You will address me as sir during our trip to the Academy. Lucky for you, enrollment is about 3 weeks away." Space-Claw told Taz before beginning to walk out. He paused. "Up, you will stay in the academy while she's training. If she can kill with a shoe I want an eye kept on her." he added. Taz looked at him.

"You loco? I can take care of myself, Sir." she told him, but he was gone. "Sorry Up." she turned to him. "I bet with jour experience jou don't want to be chaperoning a 15 year old for four years."

"What experience? I'm 21 Taz." he chuckled.

"But... Jour hair..." she began. Up chuckled louder.

"Being a Ranger is so Stressful, my brother has a Full head of it and he's 29." Up laughed.

"Up?" a voice sounded from the other side of the ward.

"Jed!" Up greeted his friend and a man with sandy brown hair and brown eyes walked in.

"You must be Taz!" Jed grinned at Taz, who was still sat up in bed. Sure enough, Grey hairs Speckled Jed's hair aswell.

"Will I get grey hairs...?" Taz wondered as she looped a black curl around her finger.

"No idea." Jed laughed in reply. "I'm Jed."

"Nice to meet Jou."

"Nice to meet you to, Shoe wielder!" Jed laughed and shook her hand.

"Jed I'm working in the Academy for four years now." Up informed his friend. Jed looked at him.

"Really? In teaching Target practice there soon." Jed grinned and Taz smiled, at least she'd know one Teacher. Up laughed.

"I'd hate to be one of your Pupils!" Up laughed. Jed shrugged before his Radio beeped signaling the pair had to leave.

"What can I do now your going?" Taz asked.

"Well your room is here, pass code is 1209 right now but you can change it." Up watched as she opened the door. Taz looked around her room.

"Hey I have some DVDs back in my room..." Up jogged down the hall until he returned holding a DVD case in his hands. Taz looked at it.

"De Karate Kid?" she asked.

"It's good." Up replied before Pulling her into a hug and jogging off.

It was good.

Taz sat on her bed, watching the TV as the film played. Up still wasn't back by the time it ended, and she'd done so much. She'd changed her Code, unpacked her stuff and watched the film. Sighing, Taz flicked to the NEWS24 channel. She screamed as a photo of her Father graced the screen.

"Dominic Lopez, owner of Lopez Industries, was killed at his Daughters Quinceañera two days ago. After searching for days Police not involved with the Robots conclude all his Family dead except for his Daughter, who is presumed Dead, having not been found. The screen switched to a picture of Taz from when she was younger. She was frowning at the camera as Andre and Anton whooped in delight in front of the Disneyland Castle. She was frowning because Andre had tipped a Cricket down her back but nobody listened to her. The screen zoomed in slowly to her face. "Taliciana Lopez was 15 two days ago and it was her Quinceañera. If found she will have the whole Lopez Fortune to herself." The screen changed to one of her and her Father on his birthday last year. "But remaining family just say they want her back alive, granting her finder $400000 USD."

Remaining family?! Taz couldn't breathe. The screen flicked to her great aunt giving an interview on her 'beautiful great neice.', underneath it said ' LAST LOPEZ SURVIOR.' Taliciana didn't like her Great Aunt Donna and neither did Rosa. Therefore she wasn't invited and would get the whole fortune, Taz wasn't going to claim it!

Up came back the next day, knocking for his DVD back. He had his arm in a sling a grin plastered across his face.

"Hey Taz."

"What happened to Jou?" she asked.

"Oh you know, robots." he sighed as she handed him the DVD. "Breakfast?" he asked her.

"Sure." she walked to the canteen beside Up, Jed joining them with Stitches up his eyebrows, a broken nose and half his hair blackened. Taz could see his puffy burnt scalp.

"Robot." He explained as they walked to the Canteen. As they all sat down Space-Claw and Commander Skyets walked over.

"Ensign Jed?" Commander Skyets called. Jed looked up. Skyets passed him a badge. "Congratulations Lieutenant." the pair walked off. Up and Taz clapped loudly for their friend, Taz forgetting all about people on earth Searching for Taliciana Lopez as the Ship began to make its Journey to the Academy.


	3. Welcome to the Academy

Sorry guys this took kind of long, I do somuch extracurricular after school so I hadn't been able to update it... But here's chapter 3! :)

**"My name is Commander Trent. What's yours?"**

Taz looked at the sleek black haired man in front of her. He looked very Latino but she didn't want to start babbling in Spanish, incase he wasn't and decided she was stupid.

"Taz"

"Surname."

"I don't have one."

"We need you to give one..."

"Hey, I don't have one and neither does Commander Rick!" Up intervened.

"Up? Brother it has been so long!" a grey haired more muscular version of Up appeared. He had a full grey moustache which Taz looked at.

"Nice 'stach Rick." Up laughed and hugged his brother. "This is Taz."

"Ahh, the shoe killer." Rick laughed.

"I don't think I can jou kill with these..." Taz looked down to the pair of Trainers a Nurse at the Hospital had given her. Taz was wearing a red tank top and black sweatpants, her long black hair tied back into a high ponytail. In her Arms was a Cardboard box filled with her few possessions. Rick laughed before turning to Trent.

"Up explained the situation. She's just called Taz." Rick then signalled for them both to follow him. "How earth, Up?" he asked.

"Robots everywhere." Up sighed. "I don't think we'll wi-"

"We will." Taz growled. Rick looked at her.

"Think rationally Taz, you think we can sit by as more people die?" He asked.

Taz Shrugged.

"Here we are." Up grinned at a door. He pressed a code into the door and it opened. Rick held his nose.

"YOU NEED TO CLEAN IT." Rick yelled. Up yelled something back.

"RICK I'VE BEEN GONE FOR TWO YEARS. ALL THE FOOD IN THE KITCHEN WILL HAVE ROTTED." Up yelled. Taz grinned from the doorway, placing the box down before pulling her arm to block her nose, grabbing a plastic bag from the sideboard and dumping the contents of the fridge inside. Rick sprayed a can of Air freshener into the room.

"Better." Taz grinned.

"Your room is in the Cadets area." Rick smiled and Up looked at Taz.

"Its not far away." Up told Taz and the trip began to walk down the hall before taking a left, a right and then down a flight of stairs. A few teenagers were stood around in the corridors but all of them stopped when they saw Rick.

"Your room is here." Up saw Rick type the code in and saw Taz step in. She grinned and then looked about. Placing her box on the side and she began to cram her books onto the shelf above her bed. Up looked around. Rick had gone to yell at a Cadet who was bullying a new recruit the same age as Taz, only he was alot taller. Up turned to Taz.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."

"I know Taz I know. Chin up, enrolment is in two days, until then you can do whatever you like." Up grinned. "See you later." Up added in his Southern Drawl and walked down the hall, yelling to Rick if they wanted to go to the Gym.

Taz woke up to a knock on the door.

"Meirda." she murmured at her clock. 7:30. "Who is it?"

"Uh... Henry."

Taz slid out of bed to open the door. A talk boy of about 16 stood looking at her.

"What do jou want?" She asked.

"Wondering if you wanted to Hang out, Tazzy? Me and Pete were gonna go training and as your the only girl we thought..." he cut of when the door was slammed in his face.

Up grinned as Taz opened the door an hour later.

"Breakfast, young Tazzy." he announced and signalled for her to walk with him.

"Tazzy?" she asked as they began to walk towards the elevator. "Did jou just call me Tazzy?" she asked.

"Don't like it?"

"Hate it."

"Okay." Up sighed as the elevator began to move upwards. "Met any new friends?" he asked awkwardly.

"Some kid called Henry came to wake me up." she shrugged. "Apparently I'm the only new girl."

"Yeah Rick said so." When the pair walked to the table where Rick, Jed and some others were sat, Taz could see no other girl wearing the blue Cadet uniform.

"Up! Taz!" Rick called them and the pair sat on the bench. Taz was wedged between Up and Jed. After brekafast, Taz was going to get up when Rick informed them that most of the new recruits were Docking that day so she had to stay out of the corridor after 12. Taz walked around for a bit and after a while she heard a Southern Voice behind her.

"Taz you should go to the Cadet area now." it was Up.

"I hate it down there."

"Sorry."

"Jou don't understand."

"Tell you what, who dont we watch some movies, you and me?" He asked. Taz shrugged and Up grabbed her arm and dragged her to his room. The pair sat on the Sofa watching Jackie Chan explode about in The Karate Kid. It was fast becoming one of Taz's favourites. After a while the intercom buzzed. It informed everyone had twelve minuets until the first docking, and all Recruits were to go to their rooms immediately. Taz sat up and Up handed her a pile of DVD's to watch.

"Bye, see you in the canteen at 7." he said as they turned into her corridor. As Taz stepped inside her room she heard Up run off.

Twenty minuets passed until Taz heard the first voices. She recognised Trent who was taking a recruit to its dorm. She, by the sounds of it, had a British accent. Trent deposited her in the room across the hallway and left. Taz heard her muffled voice. Talking to herself? What? The next voices to Pass were a Commander and a boy with a Russian Accent. Many hours and nationalities past until somebody was in the room next to her. A girl with an American, slightly Canadian, accent. She was talking to Trent.

"Any one you know joining this year, Freya?" Trent asked her.

"Nope." Freya replied. "They all said I was Crazy. Maybe I am." she added before Taz heard the door open and shut. The kid on the other side was another American, this time a guy named George. Another hour past. Less voices went now. The last one she remembered hearing was a German girl called Gretel. Then she fell asleep.

"Taz!" Up was yelling at her door. Taz woke up on her Sofa. She looked at the time. 9:30.

"MEIRDA." she leapt up and unlocked the door. Up walked in.

"Okay... You alright?" he asked. Taz nodded. Up grinned. "You nearly missed dinner." he handed her a small plate of chicken, rice and vegetables before grinning. "I'll wake you up an hour earlier tomorrow. Miss enrolment and your gone before you can say meirda. What does that even mean?" he asked cocking his head as he sat beside her on the sofa.

"Shit." Taz said through a mouth of Peas. Up grinned.

"Don't swear infront of the Commanders. Rick I can get you out of, but Skyet or Trent? No." He laughed. Taz swallowed the last mouthful before Up tapped her on the head and told her to sleep tight.

"Abercrombie." The President of the G.L.E.E. called. The kid in the room next to her, George, stepped up. He had a pin fastened to his uniform before he saluted and left the stage.

"Bouvier." a guy with thick ginger curls walked from where he was stood at the back.

It went on. Finally it was T.

"Taz." The President called. Taz stepped up to the stage and stood before him. He pinned the badge to her blue uniform and she Saluted. She grinned as she and the rest of the first years were handed their timetables. First she had Combat... With Commander Trent. As she walked into the room she grinned to see Up leaning against the wall, humming a tune to himself. Trent told them all to pair up, however there was an odd number and Taz was paired with Trent.

"I'll go with her." Up called and walked over. Trent nodded and stepped away, still quite fuming from their first meeting. Soon Taz was running laps of the huge training room, the other twelve cadets running alongside her. Trent told them to keep together, but Taz was about four Meters ahead of them all when she finished.

"Cadet!" Trent Barked. "Twenty More!" he yelled. Taz looked at him.

"Yes, Sir." she began to run again.

"Why?" Up turned to Trent.

"She disobeyed me by running ahead, what if this was down on earth in battle? Taz could be dead now." Trent hissed. Six minuets passed before Taz reappeared. Trent signalled for her.

"I want you to partner with Davies on the mat." Trent yelled. One of the Third years who had been using the Gym in his free period with his friends looked up. Taz's heart plummeted. He was 6 feet tall, almost as muscular as Rick. Taz stepped to the mat and tried not to worry about getting killed, Up would help her if it got bad... Right?


	4. She's a fighter

**So I have stomach flu and so I am writing this out now on my phone... I don't own Taz/Up in any way shape or form, they belong to the amazing Team Starkid :-)**

Davies clicked his Knuckles. Taz looked at his hair, slicked back and smelling strongly of hair-clay. Her black curls hung loosely around her in a ponytail, reaching the bottom of her back. She twisted it up into a high bun before she ran at Davies. He caught her as she ran and she placed a kick in his stomach. As Davies rolled over, he rolled ontop of Taz and pinned her down. Taz attempted to free her leg, but misjudged Davies weight and he had her writhing beneath him, her eyes blazing. Taz snarled before she headbutted him in the forehead. He yelped and Taz wriggled from under her, She darted towards him and attempted to grab his hair, but the clay made her hands slide down his neck and she flew over his head. He grabbed her by the legs and leant back, his body over her body. Taz heard a crack. She couldn't move her left wrist.

"Up!" she shouted. The lieutenant looked at the Commander.

"He's won!" Up yelled.

"Taz has to say she's lost for her to Lose!" blood was trickling down the cut her bone was making as it pushed through her skin. However Trent looked on.

"JOU IDIOTA!" Taz screamed at both Davies and Trent. Davies slid his hand back more so that the bone broke completely in her arm. She fastened her teeth into Davies arm and for a minuet they were locked. Then, somehow Taz was on top of Davies, her hair out of the bun now. Davies snarled as blood from Taz's wrist splattered her and he tore at her hair. A chunk of black curl came away with his hand and he managed to curl back over her. That was when Up, who had been yelling at Trent, saw how Black and Blue Taz was a ripped Davies off her.

"EXCUSE ME!" Trent yelled but Up glared back.

"I think this student needs to go to the Medical Room." Up turned to Trent before holding his hand out to Taz and helping her up. Up bent to lift her in Firemans but she began to walk. Taz appeared in the Medical room with no feeling in her left arm at all. The doctors began to work immediately, and the Head of the G.L.E.E. wanted a full report from Up. Commander Trent went almost as soon as he could move after he got yelled at infront of the whole academy. All Up knew was he was sent back to Earth, demoted to Ensign under some Commander with a long name. As he told Taz, she shrugged and said she couldn't wait to meet the new teacher. She was off timetable while her Wrist healed and according to Freya, he was worse.

"He made George run for ages and then said he needed a haircut." George used to have long wavy ginger hair, which was now a peachy stubble. "He won't like yours, Taz." she warned her as they walked to the Canteen after free hour. Up was working in Weapons, and told her it would be good for her to make friends her age, if they ever get split up. That was why Taz found herself talking to the shy girl who shared her corridor even more. Taz shrugged.

"He will have to shove it." Taz turned to Freya. "What's he even called?"

"Commander O'lark." Freya shuddered. The pair walked to the Elevator and soon enough were queuing in the canteen. Freya looked at the boys infront of them. They were laughing their heads off and she saw why. George Abercrombie was standing behind Commander O'lark and pulling faces. As George came to a particularly gruesome one, Rick put a hand on his shoulder, making George jump and scream and O'lark to turn. Rick dragged George away and O'lark turned back to his food, before looking up and Focusing on Taz.

"He's seen you. He knows who you are..."

"Taliciana." O'lark greeted Taz.

"¿Que?"

"That is your name right? You do look like Miss Lopez, but are you?" O'lark looked at her. Taz looked at him.

"My name is Cadet Taz, sir." she spat. "My name has been Taz since I was a girl."

"But Taliciana…"

"My birth name is Tristina. Not Taliciana. And my surname was Uvas." Taz lied. O'lark looked at her.

"Very well." he moved back to the table and Taz picked up her food.

"Strange." Freya murmured as they sat down.

"Taz, open up." Up called. Taz stared at herself in the Mirror. At her feet was a heap of curls. Staring back at Taz was a girl with short, spikey hair, with two long tendrils hanging down.

She looked Horrible.

"I know your pass anyway." he shrugged. Taz heard the door slide open and then shut. Taz walked out from the bathroom and looked at Up.

"I like it."

"I dont."

"Then why did you cut it?" Up asked, helping himself to her food.

"O'lark." she murmured.

"You haven't even had a lesson yet!" he yelled. Taz shrugged.

"He recognised me." she replied.

"Huh?" Up asked. Taz turned her TV on and the newsreader read out yesterday's news, that Taz had Taped.

"Taliciana Lopez would be the richest 15 year old in the US, if she was alive. The Money would have gone to Donna Istren, Lopez's great aunt. However Istren is donating it all to the Starship Rangers." the screen cut to the G.L.E.E. logo. "Donna explained to us that Taliciana wanted to be a ranger, however she died before she could. Tributes are still being paid to the richest family in the country." the pictures on the screen flicked back to the Disneyland photo, and them the screen cut to black.


	5. Rosa

Being sick has really kicked my writing up a notch. Pun intended XD.

I don't own Taz/Up in this, sorry! They both belong to Starkid!

"Your making yourself sick, Taz!" Up yelled as she ran past him, if you could class dragging your limbs across the mile long field running. She'd been running for four hours now, and a small notepad was slowly filling up with neat tally marks.

"Commander…said…run…" Gasped Taz as she passed him. Taz had refused to fight Henley, another Third year. So O'lark made her run laps until he got her, but as Combat was the last lesson, Taz was still running as the sky darkened greater.

"Taz!" Up tried getting her attention.

"What?" She yelled from the other side of the field.

"LAST LAP WE'RE GOING IN." he bellowed. But Taz didn't stop. When she came back past him he tried jogging alongside, but she pushed him away only to topple over the other way herself.

"TAZ!" Up screeched and shook the unconscious teen. She didn't stir.

"Up...?" Taz opened her eyes in the Hospital. A woman with long black hair looked at Taz and Murmered something in Spanish. "Madre!" Taz sat up only to find herself lightheaded and Dizzy.

"Madre…" Taz murmured in her sleep. Up looked at the Pale teenagers skin and curled up in the chair. Taz was having a fever.

"Mi Niña." Rosa smiled at Taz. "¿Estoy meurto?" Taz asked her. "Am I dead?"

"No." Rosa said, looking at her daughter. "Jou have to get the job done. Jou will end the robot wars and live a full life. Jou will join jour familia only when jou have fulfilled jour life." Both had tears rolling down their cheeks. Taz realised that her mother was wearing the Light purple dress she wore on the day she died. Taz began sobbing and Rosa wiped her eyes.

Taz was twisting in her sleep. Up heard different Spanish words escape her mouth.

"Don't die. Don't die." Up repeated. He looked at Taz and wiped her face, taking off the thin layer of sweat and a few of the Salty tears. The teenagers skin was returning to its normal shade.

"Adios, mi Niña." Rosa whispered to her daughter.

"¡No Madre No!" Taz cried.

"Jou will be left with someone we trust now. He cares greatly about jou, Taz." Rosa faded.

"Taz?" Up's voice rang into the empty room.

"Up?" Taz called back. Taz felt fingers intertwine with hers and Taz felt alot better. She opened her eyes slightly to see Up curled up in the chair, his eyes sparkling with Tears.

"Up…what are jou doin?!" she laughed.


	6. Friends

I don't own Taz or Up. Or Space-Claw. Starkid does.

Up grinned and looked at Taz. She was getting better faster than the doctors predicted and was currently translating a song from English into Spanish and back again, out of pure boredom. The walls of her hospital room were dappled with drawings. She tore them up after a while so no more than ten were on the once white (now currently dotted with blue from the bluetac) walls. Taz grinned as Up walked in.

"What's on jour mug?" Taz asked him. Ups fingers traced around his mouth until his fingers brushed around a small wispy moustache. It was only speckled with grey, not like the three-quarters-grey-one-quarter-brown hair that smothered his head.

"Havn't shaved." Up shrugged. "Rick's going down in a squadron tomorrow, so I guess it's nerves about you not getting better and nerves about Rick." Taz looked at him.

"Rick will be fine. And I'm already better!" Taz followed her statement by jumping of the bed only to be yanked back down by Up.

"You still need to rest." Up picked up the notepad and read it. "I'm beginning to wish I took Spanish instead of German." Up sighed. Taz shrugged.

"I'm just hoping they let me continue Spanish." She laughed. Up grinned. Taz started humming the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody. Up joined in and the pair were soon screaming it loudly, in English for Up and a gurgle of Spanish and English for Taz. They collapsed in laughter after a while, Taz on the Bed and Up on the floor.

"What's so funny?" Jed called from the doorway. Up looked up. Jed had a bemused expression on his face. He then walked in and looked at Taz. "You have guests." Jed ushered in the trio of teenagers; Freya, George and a kid Taz knew as Jasper.

"Hi!" Freya yelled and walked towards her, George and Jasper trailing behind her. Up grinned and he and Jed walked off. After about an hour of "O'lark was furious!" "You drew these?" "Is Lieutenant Up your friend?" "When are you coming back" and "Will you still take combat?" They left the room and the Nurse came and discharged her the next day, and they came and greeted her as she left. Taz would have Rather been walking with Up and Jed, but these three were the nicer of all of the Cadets she knew, even if Freya was really quiet and George really annoying. And she had hardly had a conversation with Jasper since the day Davies beat her up, but she knew he was nice. Up was walking down the corridor towards them when he saw Taz.

"Your better now?" He grinned. Taz nodded.

"So shave that of jour Mug." Taz grinned. Up stroked it.

"Nah." he grinned. "I gotta get you used to some of the equipment in Combat, you've missed knife training." Up told her. As Freya walked to Chemistry, the other Four walked to Combat. Taz was one of six girls out of thirty two boys. The other girls made no signal they wanted to be friends. One of them looked at Taz as if she was an escaped murderer. Jasper pointed this out to Taz.

"I think Aliana wants to kill you."

"I can see." Taz growled. As soon as she was caught up to the rest of the Class, Taz was almost in front of all of them on the Leader board. Each year had a leader board for subjects, which was electric and moved continuously. Taz was ahead, behind her was two boys, the Jasper and George and then the rest of the Class. Aliana was the third girl on the list, behind a girl from Japan named Saki. She didn't talk to anyone, but Aliana was always trying to talk to her. Saki shrugged it off. Soon enough, O'lark wanted them all to pair up. Aliana yelled for the girl but Saki was stood beside Taz almost immediately. Aliana shrugged before turning and stalking over to a girl named Rebecca.

"I couldn't believe Aliana's face!" George laughed at the Dinner Table that afternoon. Taz was sat between Up and Saki, who was blushing. Freya was cutting up her food and Jasper was staring at Sami. Up was grinning, Jed and Rick the other side of him. After dinner, Rick would be on a Pod bound for Earth. For some reason, instead of sitting with other Commanders, he was sat with them.

"Shes not even trying to be normal." Freya sighed. "In German she just sat there chatting people up."

"At least you don't share a corridor!" Saki laughed. Jasper flicked a chip at Saki.

"My rooms opposite yours!" He complained.

"You guys don't have to share a corridor with O'lark!" Rick whispered. "At least I won't for a while!" He laughed. Jed grinned and Up shrugged.

"You guys don't sleep near Up, he's a nightmare!"

Up blushed.

"Take care, little Brother." Rick said to Up as he stepped in to the pod.

"Don't kill yourself Taz!" he yelled and the door on the craft shut, and the gangway slipped in. The ship was gone. Up grinned at Taz, who ha stayed up even though the Cadets lights out was over an hour ago. Saki was stood behind her, her black hair pulled back into a plait down her back and she stood in her dressing gown.

Taz had dragged her out of bed because she didn't want to walk back down the corridor alone, even if Up was there. It sounded silly but of Davies was sneaking about, Saki could help if Up had gone.

"Bye!" Up called. His voice caught and Taz looked at him.

"Are jou crying?" Taz mocked.

"No. Just thinking about all those deadgod-damn robots Rick will be Killing." Up said. He made himself sound like one tough son of a bitch. Taz grinned.

"Okay. Well we better go..." Taz said, hearing O'lark yelling something from the other side of the Ship Port. Taz and Saki ran down to the corridor between theirs.

"Bye." Saki grinned.

"Bye." Taz replied and the pair ran off in different directions.

Saki and Taz became great friends. Freya would hang out with them at lunchtimes and breaks but Saki and Taz stayed together throughout most the lessons they had together, as Taz was working to go into the Combat side and Saki wanted to be a field nurse. That meant instead of taking Sport classes, Saki took First aid and during First Aid Class, Saki would be taught with fourteen other people in First Aid Plus by a tall spindly woman who was called . Saki also took French instead of Spanish. But Aliana still didnt like Taz. Not like she cared. In every lesson they had, Alianna would glare at her.

"It's not good to have enemies. You may end up on a starship with Aliana." Up explained when she told him. Taz shrugged.

"Is it good to have a mustache?" Taz grinned. "Are you channeling the Rick look, lately?"

"No..."

Taz grinned and Up grinned back.

Soon it was the Christmas Holidays. All of the Cadets exempt for about 15 of them were leavening to spend the Holidays with their Families.

"Bye!" Freya pulled Taz into a hug as she lugged her case out of her room. Her pod was going to be called soon, and Saki was still asleep. Her pod had left half an hour ago, but Saki had caught Stomach flu and had missed the last pod down to Oregon. So Saki would be going down in the last of all the pods, to California in two days time. As Freya ran down the halls, Taz saw Aliana dragging a case down.

"My family want me home for the Holidays." she smirked to Taz. Taz shrugged as Aliana sped up, the pod to Louisiana would be called a short while after Freya's. Taz ran down to the infirmary to where Saki was sat, spewing Chunks into a bucket.

"Jou okay?" Taz asked. Saki nodded before she hurled again. There was some sort of bug going around but Taz didn't care, she sat patting her friend on the back for a while.

"Taz!" a voice hisses from the door.

"Yeah?" Up asked, walking over. Up ran his fingers through his hair.

"Uh, we got a call from Donna, asking if a girl named Taliciana or Taz was onboard, so they're checking. You may have to go down."

"My surname isn't Lopez." Taz lied.

"What is it then?" Up asked.

"Well it is... But now let's just say its called... Gomez?" Taz murmured. "It's my friends Surname." Taz shrugged. At that moment, Space-Claw came around the corner.

"Taz! Your aunt wants you on the next flight down."

"My name was Tiana Gomez, but all of that-" she waved her arms and spun around once. "IS NOW DEAD!" she screamed. "I am Cadet Taz now. Nothing else. I am not related to that woman."

"My name is not Taliciana Lopez!" she shouted, Lying her head off.

"We'll see." Space-Claw lead them to the radio room, where Taz stood in front of a monitor which showed a video feed to Donna.

"Jou don't look like Taliciana." She sighed.

"No, miss." Taz replied. She tried to make her voice sound different, she added a flair of French every now and again, and German at other times. Donna shook her head.

"Not her." the woman whimpered. Taz was dragged away by Up.


	7. The first of many Christmases

_**TAZ/UP BELONG TO STARKID. NOT ME. HOWEVER MUCH I WISH I DID... *cries***_

"Why did you lie to your aunt?" Up asked as they walked to the elevator on Christmas eve morning.

"She wouldn't let me come back." Taz sighed. "If I had gone back I would be sat in some high tea right now."

"Sounds like fun." Up grinned. The pair we're stood in the elevator a moment later and it whizzed up to the top of the starship. Taz looked at Up.

"Not really." she responded as she stepped out into the whitewashed corridor. "Jou have to be all posh. It's not fun."

"Depends on your definition of fun, Ms Lopez." Taz crushed her fingers against his mouth.

"Shut up jou idiota." Taz pushed the door open and walked across to grab her breakfast. Up joined her as she walked.

"Well, you'd get a better Christmas Dinner." Up grinned, Taz shrugged. If it was anything like the turkey at home, She would be happy. But they didn't even celebrate Thanksgiving here, so she would end up with cardboard turkey, she knew it. She dumped her tray down on the table and looked around. Jed was sat to her right and Up was settling to her left. Saki had left last night, and the only other Cadet left was George.

"Morning Taz." he grinned from where he was shovelling Porridge down his throat. Taz shuddered. George's Dad was a Commander down in an earth training camp, while his Mom was a school teacher back in Vermont. He also had two sisters, both Younger. He grinned at her.

"What?"

"It's Christmas soon!" he yelled.

"And?" Taz responded. George rolled his eyes.

"Presents!" He grinned.

"You get presents from Family." Jed explained. Taz sighed.

"None for me then." Taz whispered under her breath.

Taz spent the rest of Christmas Eve in the Gym throwing weights. George tried to find her but she Screamed at him. When another person walked in, Taz didn't pause as she hurled the chunk of Metal at his head. Up caught it but stumbled backwards.

"Taz? You alright?" Up asked, setting the weight down and acting very slowly. "'Coz if that was George, He'd be dead now." Up said calmly.

"I'm fine."

"You missed dinner." Up pulled a small packet from behind him. "I saved you some chicken." He passed it to her. She opened the bag to see ten golden chicken nuggets. Taz shrugged.

"I'm fine. Jou should know that." As then Taz ran. She didn't know where, she just let her feet carry her. She noticed she was on top deck after flying through ten flights of stairs. She paused before running down a corridor. Then another and another. Left... Right…Left… she stopped and then collapsed on the floor in a small crevice between two walls.

"Taz?" somebody was calling her.

"She won't have got off the ship. She'll be back. We have her door open so we'll see if it's shut or not." somebody told them.

"She's got to be up here!" Taz was dimly aware of the two accents colliding, Alabama and California. Taz twisted around. She judged that they were about three corridors away, and then stood up and began to walk in the opposite direction. It took her twenty minuetes at the walk, but they were close enough to hear her. She was soon enough at the elevator. She hit the button and waited. As the door Pinged open, she heard the voices quicken and footsteps. She slammed her hand against the door close and it shut. There was a pause and then the elevator descended down, slowly at first, then havering speed as it flew down Twelve flights of stairs. Finally it stopped.

Cadet Level, the sign to the left said. Taz ran, slipping through the corridors to her room, before running through the open door and slamming lock. Then she changed her pass code and curled up on the floor.

"She must have heard us." Jeds voice rang out as he stared at the shut door.

"Duh." Up replied before calling out

Taz's name.

"Doubt she'll reply." Jed countered before he walked off, leaving Up stood outside Taz's door.

"Taz?" he asked again. He sighed ad walked off, looking for Ice for his face, which was now bruising up from the Weight that Taz threw at him.

Christmas dawned on the Academy, nobody had anything scheduled until 2pm, lunch. The G.L.E.E had docked half of it's smaller craft into the academy for the Holiday.

"Taz?" Up had tried to get her in the morning and had ended up sitting outside her door, calling her name every now and again. He knew she was in there, as he heard the coffee machine whir on several occasions.

"Taz?" Up called at 1:50. "Im going to go upstairs... If you want to join us we'll be there." he sighed and walked upstairs. A minuet passed, and Taz still sat curled up in the corner between her bookshelf and her kitchen counter, a cup of coffee on the side. She was replaying memories of last Christmas.

"Andre! CMON!" Anton had yelled. Andre always slept in at christmas to annoy dad. Last year was the first one when it was the five of them and Pepe, their Data-Dog. That meant this was the first year Taz didn't have to wear a skirt. She lay sprawled out in front of the plush orange sofa, playing some sort of tug-of-war game with Pepe. Anton was shaking presents frantically, and Mom and Dad were watching the TV. Andre walked downstairs at last and Dad let us loose on the presents. As the smallest, I climbed to the back and threw gifts to people, excluding the heavy ones. Anton and Andre (and Pepe) began to dismantle the front of the small mountain under the Tree, and soon we all had a small pile of gifts each. We looked at each other before simultaneously ripping them open, Pepe jumping between everyone excited with all the wrapping paper flying throughout the air. Andre was complaining about the jumper Aunt Connie had knitted him. Anton was eating a bar of Chocolate. Mom and Dad were looking at the matching His and Hers towels from one of Moms Clients (she owned a Law Business). I was sat, wedged beside my brothers, opening a small box from Andre, which contained a red bandana. I looked at it and laughed, before strapping it into my hair and grinning like a mad girl.

I remember that bandana. I don't remember what happened to it. I tug at my black tufts of hair. One of Up's friends, a Nurse named Kit, said it might take a few years to grow back, as I hadn't cut it in a long while. She offered me a pill to make it grow faster, but I refused.

"Save them for those who need them." I shrugged. Kit sighed. Up shrugged and looked at her, his eyes apologetic. She looks a lot like Up and Rick, Taz thought. She shrugged before standing up, stiff and sore. "The appeal for Turkey has grown." Taz murmured out loud, before opening the door. She nearly tripped over the small package on the floor, a neatly wrapped box. Taz picked it up, it had no Note attached. Taz opened it up, and saw a neat pile of Pills. /you do need them. -Up/ a note inside read. Taz sighed before picking one of the white tablets and looking at it, before she knocked it back and put it on her counter.

"Hair growth pills." Taz grinned as she left the room. "Feliz Navidad." she ran up the staircase, ignoring the evaltor until she was running down the Corridor.

"UP!" she yelled when she saw him and Jed walking down the corridor.

"So your not dead?" Jed grinned as she hurtled up to them.

"Shut jour mouth." Taz laughed, and they walked to the canteen.

The effect of the Pills was strong, and the next day, Taz's hair was a lot less clumpy, a lot thicker and slightly longer. She twisted a lock around her fingers.

"Where is that bandana when I need it, Andre!" Taz laughed to her Brother.

"Taliciana, why must jou wear that now?"

"Hey, jou said there's no such thing as a bad Gift, Madre." Taz joked. Andre grinned and fiddled with his new cell phone. Taz grinned, looking over his Shoulder she saw it was to his Girlfriend, Alicia. Taz had met her a few times, and she seemed nice. To her other side, was Anton, Playing with a Tamogotchi. Anton loved Vintage Toys from along time ago. Taz sighed, she hated Christmas some times. People were dying, starving or freezing right now and here she was, sat at a plump dining table, eating Turkey. She hated herself sometimes. On the school bus, Taz had seen girls stare at her thick clean hair, clean skin, money to buy lunch. They sat, only there because it was Law to have an education, with Pasty Skin, Unkept hair and empty bellies. When word got out on the last day that Taz would have a Quinceañera, and that it would be a major event with food, music and a hall to have it in, those children would have died to have that. Have it, Taz thought. I don't want a stupid Party. Something bad is going to happen I know it.

Between Up and Jed, Taz sat picking all the meat off the bones of the Turkey. A nurse with brown hair came and sat down beside Up.

"Hey!" Kit yelled as Up stole a potato from the plate.

"Sorry little sis." Up grinned.

"Little sis? Rick told me all your family had died." Taz choked.

"Rick forgets about me... Because I refu-"

"Eat your damned Turkey." Up shoved a potato in her mouth.

"Thats not a Turkey, Up. It's a Potato." Jed pointed out.

Taz silently vowed to find out what Kit was saying.


	8. Commander Rick

Sorry this has taken so long, I've been blown away by rehersals! Taz an Up belong to the supermegafoxyawesomehot Team Starkid.

Up sat on the floor beside his bed, shaking. The unopened letter beside him, the uniform print and cold lettering said it all. He was going back. What about Taz? He couldn't just leave her, she would go beserk when she found out. Up sighed and opene the letter.

He wasn't going back.

Rick was Missing in Action. Presumed Dead.

Up was suddenly wishing he was going back down. Rick was… gone? Are they kidding him? He scanned through the rest of the letter... Rick had tried to take out a Superbot, but a swarm of Mega-Girl units surrounded him. Rick pulled out a red grenade, the type that explode 100 meters in each direction, and threw it, a he was a mile ahead with no back up. Nothing was found. Up looked at the letter again. He read it again. Up shook his head and stood up.

Taz shook her head.

"Jou can't be serious. Rick is…"

"Most probably yes." Up sighed. Kit looked like she was going to faint. Jed's eyes were watering and George seemed to be frozen. But Taz, her eyes were like Flames.

"Dem Stoopid robots." she growled. "They have not one stinking right to do this!"

"Taz, that's why we're in a war. It has been going on for nearly 100 years now." Jed explained. Taz shook her head and finished her bowl of cereal.

"I'm going to work out. So when I'm graduated, the robotos will DIE." Taz screeched. And she ran out of the room.

An hour passed. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six had passed before Taz had to leave, as everyone had to go to the memorial service. Taz wouldn't miss it. They were all told to wear Uniform, so Taz was stood in a green jumpsuit, her now growing hair slicked back into a ponytail. She and George walked upstairs to the Atrium hall, and Up pulled Taz into a hug the moment they arrived.

"Get off me!" Taz growled. Up unwrapped his hands and stood back a bit. The service was held in the Atrium, where Graduations and Proms took place. Taz sat between Kit and George, as Up was required to sit in the front row. The service was long. They talked about Rick in every aspect off his life, how he was an amazing fighter, how his parents were killed when he was a child, and he ran away from the Orphanage to become a Ranger, followed by his little brother. How he pulled the grenade and took out 700 Mega-Girl Units, and helped win back The state off Oregon. A hero's death, they said. That was when a Nurse ran in screaming at them all, that a ship had docked with some MIA's Onboard. Taz, Up and Kit ran downriver being dismissed, but it didn't matter as half of the room ran with them. Taz saw him first.

"RICK!" she screamed. Rick was being helped off the pod, He was covered in blood and one of his legs were gone, but he smiled and a trickle of blood left his mouth. The first person he hugged was Kit. Or at least, Taz thought they were hugging, as it took Taz a moment to realize they were actually Kissing. Then all off a sudden, Rick was pushed back onto a stretcher and ran to theater, Kit running alongside demanding to be assistant Nurse in the Procedure.

"Well that was unexpected." Taz grinned. Up laughed.

"We should go back to the room, explain Rick is in theater." He smiled. " So Kit and Rick eh?" he laughed as they walked back.

"Unexpected. Jou?"

"Had no idea." Up laughed.

Rick came out of theater ad recovered. He now had a bionic left leg, and no right ear. And a Fiancé.

"JOUR ENGAGED?" Taz looked wildly at both of them.

"Well that came as a bit of a shock." Jed grinned.

"When's the wedding?" Up asked.

"A couple of weeks."

"Cadets are back in two days." George added. "I bet they'll all ask us questions about it, Taz!"

"Maybe." Taz shrugged. Up grinned.

"What?" Saki grinned at the news. "I'm so happy for them!" She laughed. "Hey, maybe we get to be flower girls or something!" She joked.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Aliciana smirked. "Taz in a dress?" she scoffed.

"Hey, at least I've worn a bridesmaid style dress before." Taz smirked. Of course, she hated that puffy pink thing, but still. Infact, Kit came up to them During dinner that might and asked if they and Freya would like to be bridesmaids. Taz was hesitant, but after deciding she'd put up with it for Kit and Rick, she agreed. Besides, Aliciana's face would be priceless.

The day of the Wedding dawned bright and clear, almost everyone was in the Atrium. Taz, Freya and Saki were all told to walk down the aisle and then take seats when the bride reached the top, which they all did. Rick and Kit exchanged vows and everyone clapped. They were given the keys to a new room and everyone was to go to the food hall for a meal.

"Taz where are you going?" Saki asked.

"Get some air." Taz grinned, and she walked out onto the academies lawn. (the academy is on a very small planet discovered in 2050, between Mars and the Asteroid belt. It was like a mini earth.) Taz sat beside the small creek and sighed, before looking up at the sky. A ship was heading towards the academy. She looked back down.

Wait... Was that ship painted Black? None of the G.L.E.E. ships were black. That was... The robots color.

"Taz..." Saki yelled from inside. Taz ran in and ran down to the dock.

"DONT LET THEM DO-"

A robot ran through. Saki gasped and grabbed Taz.

"WE HAVE TO GET HELP!"

"You go!" Taz seemed very calm. "I can hold them back!" She yelled louder. Saki ran off, in the direction of the food hall.

"What do I have to work with?" Taz Muttered. She grabbed a bottle of bleach from a cleaning closet and sprayed it all over one robot. She then grabbed a broken broom and wedged it between her and the Robots, creating a temporary barricade. She took off her shoes and wedged a heel into the robots eyes, like she did at her Quineañera. Why does she always fight robots when she's wearing a dress. The robots broke the broom and one ran past her. She hurled the broom shards at the back of its head. Taz heard Zapper fire behind her.

"Taz!" she heard Up scream.

"UP!" Taz screamed louder. She pulled the other half of the broom free and shoved it through one robots head and into another. They fell over. Up was beside her now, filling the rest of the small space of the corridor. Taz had a gun shove into her hands. The robots shot at them. They shot back. Parts of Taz's growing hair was being zapped off. Parts of Robots limbs were being Zapped off. Soon, only five bots remained. That was when the rest if the back up arrived. The 5 robot were dead before they could say Malfunction.

"Well done, Shoe Killer."


	9. Ribbons and Letters

**I'm blown away from all the support this has revived, within the first day of chapter eight I got reviews! (whoop!) hehe, well anyway, this is the next chapter. Taz and Up belong to Team Starkid. :-)**

Many months had passed before Taz's saving the academy was mentioned again and it was the last day before Summer. Many things had happened since then, for one thing, Kit was expecting Ricks child. Taz had been moved into an advanced set in Combat classes, and Saki had dropped them completely to focus on healing. Up had mentioned to Taz that she and Saki would recieve awards later in the year, but Taz had forgotten about it completely. And now, the Ambassador was calling her and Saki to the stage.

"To Cadet Sakura, the green Ribbon for Swiftness." He pinned a green ribbon to her chest. He turned to Taz. "To Cadet Taz, the Red Ribbon of Bravery." He pinned it to her chest. Taz grinned. She and Saki were ushered off the stage were they went and sat in their seats next to Freya. Taz grinned and turned her head to were Up was sat, next to Jed. He grinned back.

"So we have Ribbons now." Taz shrugged to Saki.

"Well we all have to pack no-" Saki began before she paused.

A silence hung in the air.

"You can always come back down to earth with me, I can ask my parents..." Saki added. Taz shook her head.

"No, I can stay here." Taz forced a grin. Saki shook her head. Aliciana, who was following them with her group of cronies, laughed.

"She'll just follow that Lieutenant around... What's his name again... Down?"

"Up." Taz snarled back. Saki shook her head.

"Come with me." she and Taz walked down to the office.

"I don't always follow Up around, do I?" Taz asked, taken aback.

"Well, whenever you see him you talk to him... I would say Aliciana's jealous. She keeps asking out Morgan and-"

"There's nothing between Up and Me." Taz snarled.

"Not saying there is, just she wants a boyfriend and if you have a friend who's a boy, well... She's the same with Freya because she's close to Jasper." Saki added. Soon they were at the office and it was Sorted, Saki's mom had a spare room and was delighted her daughter had a friend to invite around.

"Hey Taz!" Up called from outside the office as they walked out. "Gym

Tomorrow?" he asked. Taz shook her head.

"I'm staying at Saki's house." Taz apologized. "Next term maybe." Up nodded.

"Hey can I have the address so we can keep in touch?" Up asked. Saki nodded and when they reached Saki's door, she neatly tore out a heart of paper and printed the address on it.

"I've gotta pack now!" Taz laughed and ran down the corridor towards her room ad began to pack everything into the boxes the academy gave each room. Cadets had to pack all there stuff to move into a larger room the next year. She didn't notice the pair of brilliant blue eyes water as she ran.

The next day, Taz and Saki carried their cases to the Oregon pod and sat waiting in the docking station, with a cheerful looking Kit. They had explained that, yes they would be back in time for the Baby's birth, yes they won't go acting like Heros with pairs of shoes, yes they'll get all their homework done. Kit grins.

"I'm like a mother all ready!" she pulled them both into hugs. Taz grinned. "Bye girls!" she smiled before walking back to the main part of the Ship.

"Taz!" Up called from the pods.

"Up!" Taz called back and he jogged over.

"26 Cherry Drive, Medford, Oregon." Up read from the sheet.

"Yep" Saki grinned. "Bye Up."

"Bye Saki, Bye Taz" Up said before he pulled Taz into a hug.

"Bye Up." she Murmered into his Chest.

Dear Taz,

How's everything in Oregon? How's Saki? What's her family like? We haven't talked in ages. The robots have hold in Calofornia. Stay safe, and dont go across the Border.

Up

Dear Up.

It's been five days, you know. Not really that long. Oregons Great, if a little cold. Saki's family is alright. How's life on the starship? Do you know where my new room is yet? How's Kit doing?

See you soon,

Taz

Taz

Well it's been two weeks now, we've got no shoe killer now so life is boring haha. Your room will be on the level above the old one with the second years, and Kit is fine. I still can't get over the fact I'm going to be an Uncle!

Up

Dear Up,

I met Saki's old friends yesterday, all of them looked at their feet when we explained the fact I'm a shoe killer. They took us Shopping. Shopping! Saki was bored outta her mind but I imagined how to kill with Converse.

See you soon

Taz

Taz

I'm being sent down in a squadron, under Commander Trent. We're going to the California-Nevada area, and we're changing location so just send any messages to the academy, I'll be back soon I hope. I leave in a week.

Your friend,

Up

Up

YOUR GOING TO GET KILLED YOU IDIOT.

your friend,

Taz

Taz

I'm going down today Taz. I'm Not that scared. The thrill of battle... I'm excited. But if I don't make it back, I want to tell you that you shouldn't have enemies. Not even Aliciana.

Up


	10. Calculus isn't the only tough thing

Ahhh Iuploaded the wrong chapter last time. Oops! Sorry!

**thank dead god for the Notes App on the iPhone, writing this one on my way to London to go to an art gallery/backstage at my Christmas show! Whoop!**

Once again, Taz/Up belong to team starkid! The rest at OC's! :P

Nearly a year had passed since Up had gone back down to earth. Taz sat, bored out of her mind in Calculus. She didn't understand calculus. Not even Freya understood it, and she would get A's in every algebra test they had at the Academy. Taz silently let her eyes drag around the scene about her. Freya was scribbling away, and no matter how many times she had explained it, Taz didn't understand. George and Jasper say hunched over at the table in front, their eyes focusing over the paper airplanes they were devising for Geography, the next lesson. Saki was sat to Taz's left and was slowly typing numbers into the calculator on her desk. Aliciana and her friends were sat towards the back, most of them complaining loudly. About half of them had already half finished the sheet. Taz was on question five. The first four answers were extracted after numerous pleading to the four teenagers sat around her. Now she was stuck.

"Any leftover work is to be finished for next lesson." Miss Grayson announced. The elderly teacher then clicked a button and the date of the next lesson appeared behind her on the chalkboard. Everyone groaned and reached for their agendas. As soon as the agendas were finished, classes were dismissed for the day. As Taz, Saki and Freya left the Maths Class room, Aliciana came up behind them.

"Hey Squirtle." She greeted Taz.

"What do jou want?"

"Sorry? What did you say?" she smirked. "You said something that sounded like Jello halfway through."

"What do JOU WANT?" Taz roared.

"Calm down, Squirts." Aliciana giggled and then she and her friends walked off.

"Taz! Saki! Freya!" Kit was calling them from the top of the corridor, with Kian on her hip. The baby boy gurgled and shoved his chubby fists out to the girls as the neared. As all three began to coo over the nine month old, Taz looked up at Kit.

"Any News?"

"All we know is that the squadron lost a lot of their men in Nevada a while ago, and lost contact. We have no idea how Up is. Rick's to anxious to do anything." Kit sighed. Kian's eyes fixed on Kit's face at the mention of his fathers name. Tax couldn't help but think that Kian looked slightly like his Uncle. He had the same blue eyes the brothers shared. As Saki and Kit began to talk about Nursing stuff, Freya turned to Taz.

"You've got to stop thinking about him."

"What?!"

"I mean it."

"Who said I was thinking about him?" Taz snarled.

"Whenever you see Rick, Kit or Jed, you ask them for news. If there is some, you keep thinking about him. And no you can't write him a letter because he's always on the move, but for dead god-damned sake, stop sniffing every time you talk about him!" Freya whispered. Saki and Kit were talking about some sort of gauze related thing. Freya looked at them all before turning away.

"Lieutenant?" an ensign called.

"Yes?" Up barked back. They had lost their communicator back in the desert and only a quarter of Rangers remained. Up was sat beside a rock, using the small amount of shade to cool his burning skin. Commander Trent was with a small group looking for Water or communication devices. The robots had them trapped in the desert, and the rangers were dying of thirst and hunger.

"Ensign Wells, well, he's hallucinating." The ensign informed Up. Standing up, Up grabbed a Medi pack and walked over to where the ensign, Hunter his badge read, was stood. A curly haired ensign was curled up, and as soon as Up entered his vision of sight, Wells backed away screeching. Up dispensed a tiny tiny amount of water into the mans mouth.

"You better pray to Dead God that he makes it." Up informed Hunter. Hunter nodded and sat beside his friend.

"Lieutenant!" Commander Trent's voice boomed. Just peaking a ridge, was the four rangers who had left two days ago, holding a chunk of metal. When it was back at their tiny camp, Up recognised it as an old style communicator. Their science officer, Gretchen, started to take it apart and re build it. Up looked around as this was going on. The distant crosses far away on the horizon marked how far they had traveled in two days before finding shelter. Some crosses were closer to the camp. And all those crosses marked their dead Rangers. That night, there were four new crosses, Wells included. He had died an hour after the communicator was being fixed. Up let Hunter and some other Ensigns sit with his as the Dehydration took the dying twenty year old's life. Then they dug a hole, best they could in this heat, and buried him. One other had died of Heatstroke and the other two from their wounds. Up remembered using his limited first aid skills on one of them. He would have survived if he had done a better job, but it was the best they could do while walking over a hot desert, to all their dooms. Ups mind wandered to Rick and Kit, and Up remembered he was now an Uncle. His mind then lazily dragged itself to an image of Jed, before most of the other Lieutenants filled his mind, until his thoughts reached Taz. He missed her. The way she would stand up for her rights, how she laughed, how tiny she felt as he carried her over the dead bodies of her whole family. Up then shook his head and walked over to help with the communicator. Gretchen had been working for hours now, and as Up neared, the Radio buzzed to life. Suddenly everyone's heads looked up to the hunk of metal, as the Ambassador read out the evening announcements. The G.L.E.E. anthem rang out and the radio went back to communicator calls. The rangers heard different attempts to contact them, which all failed as they were ringing the old receiver that was somewhere in this sandy wasteland. Gretchen started to twist the screwdriver around in the phone part of the radio and in no time, Commander Trent was talking down the phone into the Radio. Suddenly twenty different voices sounded from the radio, with the Ambassador screaming that a pod is being prepared for them as they speak. The rangers all stayed still for a minuet, then the realisation hit that they were saved.

"TAZ!" Kit screamed running down the hallway, before banging on the door about twelve meters from the elevator. Kian grizzled as she ran, he was strapped to her tummy in a baby carrier.

"Si?" Taz opened the door. Saki emerged from one across the hallway, looking confused.

"They've found Up!" Kit exhaled breathlessly. Taz paused. Saki looked at Kit.

"Jou mean... Up's coming back?"


	11. Returns

**Ahhhh, writing from school!**

Taz/Up belong to Starkid! Yay!

Those Six weeks passed slowly.

"Why are you waiting for him? Just so you can follow him around." Aliciana laughed. Taz scowled and walked away, as Up had explained to her enemy's aren't a good idea. By the time Up is declared free of parasites, it would be the week before finals. Then, they would all wait for results that would make or break their time at the academy. Taz was still stuck with her Calculus work.

"How many times have I explained this?" Freya moaned as she began the twenty minuet explanation over dinner one night. Taz got caught up in revising everyday, that she forgot about Up. On the first day of finals week, she decided to revise outside as Saki had her advanced medical exam and Freya had her Biology final. Taz sat by the wooded part of the Academy's grounds, near a clear dark blue lake. Taz always admired the lake's color, it was about four shades darker than Up's. She sighed and dragged her legs up into the rock she was sat on. Then she took out her calculus text book and opened the first page. Then she threw the textbook into the lake.

She regretted it immediately. How would she pass the exam now? She rummaged around in her back pack until she pulled out the grey calculus book. She flicked through for notes but found none.

" Need some help?" a familiar voice called out.

**" UP?!" Taz yelled out. She turned and he caught her in a bear hug. The seventeen year old weeped into the **

Twenty three year olds chest.

**"Hey hey!" I only just got out of the infirmary!" Up winced. "No parasites in me but a fair few in most of the others."  
" Ive missed jou, jou tough son of a bitch."  
" And I've missed you, you little latino… son of a bitch." he grinned. Taz threw her head back and laughed. Then she looked at the calculus book on the rock.  
" So do I really need calculus to graduate… Taz asked. If she didn't pass all her tests, Taz would repeat the past two years. "Space-Claws wishing I wasn't in his first ever early graduating class; I mean, his dad is cutting training time in half to deal with de robotas but I'm still scared I will mess up!"  
" Dont talk like that, Taz!" He pulled her onto the rock and the pair sat there for two hours as Up explained Calculus to her. He wrote out the numbers onto the rock by carving them in, and then drew lines to each number, showing how to multiply them. Taz looked at the rock and then grinned. **

Taz's Exams were that afternoon. Calculus was third. Taz imagined she was back on the rock with the numbers etched infront, the lines criss crossing over them. Then she began to scribble on the paper.

Exams week flew by after that. Up, Rick and Jed all helped with revision, Kit was looking after Kian and working to help. There was talk about her leaving her job and staying as a civilian but Rick said they could cope without her having to quit for the time being. And soon enough, exams were over. Every cadet was informed that they would all receive a letter from Space-Claw In the auditorium at noon the next Wednesday. On tuesday night, Taz sat in the canteen, pushing her food about the plate with her fork. Saki nudged her with her shoulder.

"Your getting corn all over me!" she laughed. Taz was dimly aware of the yellow pellets littering the table. Up smiled weakly, remembering a similar exchange between him and Jed, the day he found Taz.

"Taz, you can't change it now; If you pass, great. If you fail, you can train and be much better at combat next year." Up reassured her. He ended up with some of the corn from the table in his eye.

Taz, Saki and Freya stood at the back of the hall. Space-Claw was reading out Surnames. Cadets each made their way as they were called. Up had told Taz that her fake surname, Gomez, was on the system. She shrugged it off.

"Carter." The name was called. Freya took a deep breath in and Walked over to receive her envelope. As she returned, she looked at her friends.

"Open them together." she sighed. George and Jasper arrived a minuet later, clutching similar letters.

"Gomez."

Taz walked slowly up to Space-Claw. He grinned and handed her an envelope. She plodded back to were her friends were stood.

"You said you didn't have a surname?" George laughed. Taz shrugged.

"Lynn" the name was called just as Taz had noticed that Saki was the only one without her letter. She walked up and beamed at Space-Claw as she received her letter. As soon as you got your letter, you could leave. The five teenagers opened the letters. They all grinned at their results.

"I got it!"

"I start hospital training in a month!"

"Engineer!"

Taz looked at them.

"I passed." she choked out.


	12. Graduation

**Sorry this took so long! I became ill with the winter vomiting bug so I've been in bed for a few days. Taz and Up belong to Starkid. I do not own them, no matter how much I wish/dream I did... Sigh. But I do own everyone else, except Space-Claw... Who also belongs to starkid... *cries***

There was a two week period between the results day and graduation. Taz sat on the calculus rock and flicked through a book Up had bought her as a graduation present, a book of Spanish Fairytales. She sat immersed for about an hour; Up was at a meeting with all the other Lietenants and Commanders. Saki was skyping her family and Freya and George had disappeared ages ago, Taz noted with a smirk. Kit was on her computer in her and Rick's room, with Kian gurgling whilst playing with some toys on the floor. Kit had closed the top of her Laptop and told Taz she was working on top secret stuff for the Graduation. Taz shook her head and sighed. She heard the shouts of laughter from one of the other lakes; the one she was sat by was one of twelve. She recognized Aliciana's voice.

"Squirtle!" she shouted. The group of ten jogged over to where Taz was sat.

"Did you pass?" one of the guys asked.

"Yeah." Taz smirked. She knew for a fact three of them hadn't passed. Aliciana smiled.

"I can't wait to be a science officer!" she grinned. Her blonde hair was back in a bun. "Not trying to be mean, Tazzy, but how can you be an ensign now if your so titchy?!" she grinned.

"Hey what's that?" Someone pointed at the book. One of the guys, Eddie, grabbed it.

"I can't read it!" he complained.

"No duh! It's in Spanish!" Taz yelled.

They all threw the book between them and walked back to the academy, Taz trailing behind them. Up walked out from the academy.

"What are y'all doing?" he called. He saw the book in the air. The group paused. Up then ran towards them. The ten kids ran off in different directions. Up picked up the book. He placed it on the grass before he grabbed Taz. He slung her over his shoulder and ran.

"UP WHAT ARE JOU DOIN?" Taz yelled. Up grinned. Aliciana, Eddie and some other kids were running towards a dumpster. Four of them were hiding in a tree. Taz smirked when she heard them shrieking as the six of them plunged into the ocean of rubbish. Up dropped her then.

"UP! ¿ Jou loco?" Taz growled. Up wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Well, yeah. Why you so upset?" he asked her.

"They can report jou. Bye bye rangers!" she yelled. Up shook his head.

" Well as the academy has a really strict bullying regime, and they were bullying you. Besides, I'm a mentor now to a rookie ensign now." he grinned. Taz shrugged.

"I hope I don't get some stupid ass commander to work under next year." she sighed. For one year, all 'Rookie Ensigns', as in just graduated, had to Shadow someone for a year. Up had received a file that morning telling him who his personal stalker would be. Taz wouldn't find out until her mentor told her. She was praying she didn't get O'lark. Or Trent. Or one of the nobody ensigns.

"Can you deal with a stupid ass Lietenant?" Up grinned. Taz looked at Up.

"Jou got me?" she asked. Up nodded. "YES!" she yelled and threw her head back.

"But -Claw wants you up to scratch." he grinned at the not-quite-seventeen-year-old. Taz shrugged. "Oh... And... Well..."

"What?" she asked.

"There's one other thing."

"What?"

"You need to wear a dress for graduation..."

"Oh."

"You can go to the small store in the upper levels, it just needs to be able to fit under your cap and gown and so you can wear it for the prom afterwards."

"I have one."

"Where?"

"Earth."

Taz stood outside a large house in San Fransisco. Up stood behind her as she stared at her childhood home. The windows were intact and the door was locked and it seemed normal, except the garden was overgrown. Taz silently unlatched the gate and stepped down the path. She unlocked the garage and looked inside. The old Martin was missing from the garage. Andre's motorbike was stripped of it wheels and the door into the annex was open. Taz walked through with Up behind her.

"I'll leave you alone." Up sighed as he walked past a dead robot on the floor. Taz walked up the staircase and looked at the doors. They were all wide open. Twelve dead robots lay in the corridor, different mechanical pieces laying around the floor. As she slipped through the door into her room, she saw the dress rack from that morning against the wall. The green dress was still their. She folded it slowly and placed it in a box from under her bed, which she then placed ten books ontop. Then she looked at her room. It was painted a light orange like it had always been. Her furniture was all smashed though. The yellow dress had a tear down the side. A robot lay beside her bed. She kicked it and left the room. Up was sat on the torn sofa. He looked up.

"Alright?" he asked her. Taz noticed how southern he sounded. She nodded. "Alright. Let's go." Taz noticed he had something in his hand.

"What is dat?" she asked.

"Map." Up replied hastily. They left the house as they had entered, and as they left Taz noticed that the picture hanging of Baby Taliciana Eliza Lopez by the pictures of Baby Andre Vincent Lopez and Baby Anton Pepe Lopez was just an empty frame.

The graduation went by rather slowly, all of the 214 graduates walking to Dr. Galaxy to receive their certificates. As Taz received hers, she heard extra loud cheers from Up, Rick and Kit. Her dress trailed on the floor slightly but as she walked it wouldn't look nicer on anybody else. Then at the end all the graduates threw their caps into the crowd. Taz noticed Up had caught hers.

"Save me a dance" was the next thing Up said to Taz, before she was dragged into where everyone was dancing. Saki was dancing and dragging her at the same time, cream lace of her dress swinging. Freya was in a light pink number, dancing with George. Jasper was making out with some brunette. Saki and Taz began to dance to the upbeat music, which Saki explained to be Dubstep.

"Who did you get as a mentor?"

"Up. You?"

"Kit!" Saki laughed. They continued to dance until the DJ announced that the last song was coming two hours later. Saki was dragged away by a boy called Olly while Taz looked around.

"Hey Taz."

Up.

"Hey"

"Care to dance?" he held out his hand and Taz took it. They began to dance to a song called "a thousand years" by someone called Christina Perri. It was very old but Taz liked how it talked about being brave for the one you love. She looked at Up. Did she have feelings for him? She had spent the whole night dancing with Saki and not him, he probably didn't have any feelings for her at all. Pity.

"We go on a ship tomorrow under O'lark." he broke the news as the final chorus.

"Great." Taz sighed. They finished the dance with a twirl and then left the hall.

"Taz?"

"Yeah?" she replied as they approached her door.

"Get some shut eye." He ordered her before lightly brushing his lips against her forehead and leaving her.


	13. First Exploration

Disclaimer; I do not own any of the characters that appear in the original production of Starship, they belong to Starkid. I am not Starkid. That makes me upset... *sob*

A/N; PREPARE FOR MASSIVE FEELS FEST NEXT CHAPTER. And sorry this is kind of slow, I have a mock GCSE soon, in spanish XD. Hey! I can be Taz and work on it like my calculus cant I? Haha :3

"What the heck was that?" Taz murmered to Up as she drew up beside him in the dock hall. It was where all the different squadrons were meeting at 5:25 am.

"What?" Up asked her quietly.

"Last night."

"Oh... I was Drunk." He lied. Taz nodded.

Space-Claw stood at the top of the balcony stage, where the graduation had taken place. He was reading out from a peice of paper.

"All rookies will be with their mentors, and their names wont be called." Space-claw explained and began to read names.

"Under Commander Green; Lieutenant Sparks, Einsign Jackson, Einsign Leeve, Engineer Yusef, Science officer Ferguson, Ensign Johst-" Taz watched as Freya followed Science officer Ferguson to where Commander Green was stood.

"Commander O'lark." Space-Claw began.

_This is it._

"Lieutenant Up, Einsign Moore, Ensign Hodgson, Ensign Rose, Engineer Bently, Science officer Irvine, Ensign French.." Taz and Up walked towards where O'lark was stood with a smirk on his face. Taz felt a tap on her shoulder.

"TAZ!" Jasper grinned as she turned around.

"Hi Jasper." Taz responded.

"Im guessing your with Up?" He grinned.

"Yeah."

"My mentor's Georgia over there..."

"Talking about me?" The Strawberry blonde woman walked over. She was about siz inches taller than Taz, so she was pretty short.

"Sorry." Jasper apologized. The science officer was talking to Up, and when Taz turned back around, she smiled at Taz.

"Hi." She greeted her.

"Hola." Taz replied.

"My names Holly." the science officer and Taz shook hands. "I graduated last year."

"So jour a year older?"

"Yeah, I guess!" Holly laughed. "My Brother's starting next year."

"Cool."

Soon the bell rang signalling that it was 6am, and that pods would be dropping soon. The Squadron made there way to one of the larger pods. There was about 50 people in the squadron. Their pod was headed for Las Vegas, Taz Dimly was aware of the last time she was down on earth, ten days ago in one of the much smaller pods, as it was only her and Up who had gone down. Now she was pushed into a seat by Up, who both sat beside her. As everyone filed into seats, Taz looked around the pod. There was a large gps screen beside a large window, the head Science officers and engineers, including Holly, were sat in seats in the middle. They all had boards infront of them, presumably controlling the Engines. O'lark walked to where a seat was apart from everyone else, a seat with a steering wheel infront. When Taz had gone down with Up, he had sat in a similar one while she sat in the science officer seat, making sure that the gage didnt turn red. Suddenly Up stood up and reached for a sort of Phone on the wall beside the window.

"Squadron 302B7 calling from Ship 23Vesel7, we're ready to depart." He spoke clearly into the reciever. "Over"

"Squadron 302B7 you are clear to depart." came the response ten seconds later. The door shut and Taz felt the pod begin to move. Suddenly they were further into space and then, O'lark hit the Hyperdrive.

"Commander O'lark." A woman with dark brown hair speckled with grey greeted O'lark as the Pod landed. Two other pods were also landing nearby, but theirs was the only one with an open door.

"Commander Frith." O'lark greeted her.

"My Lieutenant will escort your squadron back to the main camp. Meanwhile you can move your pod to the cavern system two miles away for safekeeping, and we'll pick you up." Frith replied and moved to the next ship.

"Lietenant Up." the man stood beside her greeted Up.

"Lieutenant Macey."

" So your a Mentor now?"

"Yes, Taz?" Up turned as he forgot Taz was stood beside him. "Oh yeah, this is..."

"Shoekiller!" Macey laughed.

Taz scowled.

"My name is Taz."

"I'm Macey." he began to lead them across the desert, Taz remembered that this was the same desert Up had been stranded in.

"So we're in Nevada?"

"We have to land ships in Cali for Safety reasons, but we are in Nevada, yes."

"I'm from Cali..." Taz murmered.

"What area?" Macey asked. "I was born in L.A."

"San Francisco, but I was born in Mexico City."

"Cool."

"Meanwhile I was born nowhere near here" Up laughed. "Mongomery Alabama!"

"All de sand is getting in my boots." Taz complained.

"Dont complain. If you complain, I complain." Up shut her up.

Taz's mind kept flitting back to last night. Was she really dancing to a taylor swift song with that man last night? Up was blabbering away with one of the Science officers.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Holly asked from behind. Taz dropped back a little and walked beside her.

"Nothing, just a bit bored." Taz shrugged.

To be honest, while she was bored on the sandy plain, her mind was replaying the events of last night.

Was he really drunk? Was he meaning it? Did he realise if someone found out, he could get kicked out of the Rangers? Rookies were not allowed to be in relationships with Rangers. He knew that.

Soon they were all climbing down some rocks, into a cavern system. They were stood in an underground cave.

"Your squadron will be in this system to the left." Macey pointed down a tunnel. It was rather large, and some small holes cut into the sides of the rock had small fires inside, keeping the path lit. Up pulled a torch from his backpack and was walking down the passage. The small route took not long, but it did move down. at the bottom, the room was filled with camp beds, hammocks and beds carved into the side. Holly appeared behind her, and smiled.

"C'mon Taz!" she dragged Taz to where two of the carved in beds where, one on top of the other like bunk beds. The beds were next to a hammock in the corner. Taz swung herself up onto the top bunk and Holly kicked her boots off and lay on the bed below. Up had reserved one of the Carved beds for O'lark and dragged a camp bed to near the girls where.

"Hi." He greeted them.

"Yo Up." Holly grinned. Taz frowned and stuck her head over the side.

"Since when have jou been one of dem gangsters mi padre hated?"

"Since never!" Holly snorted. O'lark appeared a second later. Taz dropped to the floor and everyone stood to salute.

"At ease." he dismissed them. "Up." He called. Up stood up again and walked over to the man.

"Yes Commander?"

"Lunch is at 1200 hours, dinner is at 1900 hours. Brekfast tomorrow is at 0645 am. Everyone is free for the day while I talk to the other commanders, the Mess hall and Medical room are opposite our entrance." He breifed the twenty four year old. Up nodded and repeated all this information to everyone else while O'lark left to the mess hall. Holly looked at Taz who was sat beside her getting all the sand from her boots.

"You like him, dont you?"

"No..."

"I can tell from your face. Back home in England, the same thing happened with two of my friends." she laughed. "They didnt sign up to be a ranger though, and they probobly feel bad right now. My home town was ripped apart two years ago, but they all sent me letters telling me they survived."

"I have no idea what happened to Mexico City, but San Fransisco was ripped apart the day I joined the rangers." A girl sat on the hammock in the corner looked up.

"We dont have the robots in Farm planet." she sighed. Holly looked at her.

"Your from Farm Planet? Dont you all have awesome names?"

"Yeah, I'm Singning Pasta."

"Thats pretty cool." Holly grinned. "Do you shorten it at all?"

"Just call me Si."

"So I'll be calling you yes." Taz laughed.


	14. The Casino

**Disclaimer: I** **do not own starship, Taz or Up.**

**A/N: well, this is going to be interesting to write... XD Translations are at the bottom! **

Taz woke up to O'lark screaming at them to wake up.

"Whats up?" Taz moaned to Up and he dragged her out of the bed. Holly was lacing up her boots and pulling a leather jacket from Up's bed over her shoulders.

"Their going in." Up stated. Taz's eyes widened. They had arrived four days ago, and now, the Robots were doing what they do best. Killing. AFter two months in wait, they were going into Las Vegas.

"Science officers!" A woman with long blonde hair called. Holly wished Taz and Up luck before running off. Up looked at Taz.

"Got your Zapper?"

"No duh! Got jours?"

"Yup."

The pair walked quickly to the passage where they joined the fray of rangers running up towards the surface. As soon as they were out, the rangers all were assembled into position and began to head towards the city. Taz was running between Up and a lanky ensign with glasses.

As they reached the city, O'lark began to shout orders, however he couldnt be heard over all the Zapper fire behind them. Finally Up bellowed for them all to split up in groups and Taz found herself in a small cluster with Up, Jasper, Japser's Mentor and about three other ensigns she had seen about the cave room. They ran towards the nearest building where they could hear Zapper fire. A Casino that seemed to have a black and white theme, seeing as it was called Checkers Casino. Taz ran in and saw robots surrounding the people in the casino, Poker chips and playing cards were all spread across the floor. Some were crushed. The Casino was spread out over two levels, and in the middle was a large water fountain, where the upstairs opened up into a skylight. Robots had the casino players either under the upturned games tables or dead on the floor. A few had guns and were trying to shoot at the robots, but Taz could see that this made the robots head to the gun fire and kill who ever was nearby. The group of Rangers ran in and began to shoot the robots. All of the bots were heading towards them.

"Taz, Jasper, Petra and Jacob! Stay down here with me! The others, upstairs!" Up yelled at the group. Taz began to shoot at the robots, and then heard a yell from the back.

"¡Ayúdame!"

Taz paused.

That person wasnt english.

"¡Ayúdame!" The cry came again. It seemed to be from a teenager girl.

"¿Puedes oírme?" Taz yelled before running towards the girl. She looked about 15-16 years old and was crouching behind a table, and looked very similar to Taz, however she was at least eight inches taller, and seemed not as rich as Taliciana Lopez was. Her clothes were all singed and her hair was patchy.

"Me llama Taz, Yo estoy aquí para ayudar." Taz jabbered in spanish.

"Me llama Zafina." the girl looked at Taz. Now she seemed much younger, around thirteen-fourteen.

"I don't understand what your saying." Jasper grinned. Taz turned around to see him crouched behind them, grinning. Zafina seemed to shrink away into Taz.

"Él está bien, que se puede confiar." Taz reassured her before she screamed towards Up. "WE'VE GOT A CHICA OVER HERE." she looked at Zafina. "¿Qué estás haciendo aquí?"

"Mi papá es dueño de este casino... mi papá..." Zafina's eyes blurred and Taz removed her jacket from her shoulders. She wasnt wearing the correct uniform, as she was still in her pajamas, a white tank top and camo cargo pants. She had Up's leather jacket in her hands before she even had a plan and was shoving it in Zafino's hands, telling her to grip it tightly. Taz then grabbed the other end of the jacket and Zafina's hand and nodded to Jasper.

"Cover us." Taz growled before screaming obcenities at the Robots and shooting. As she and Zafina flew behind the small Poker Table Up and the other ensigns were, she shouted to Jasper to run across.

That was when it all hit slow motion.

As Jasper began to run across, a robot fell over the banister from the upper level.

Suddenly it became aparent.

It was falling ontop of Jasper.

"JASPER! STOP!" Up yelled.

The ensigns picked up and all of them exept Zafina were screaming at him to stop running.

Jasper's face showed some realization as the metal hunk landed ontop of him.

"Up-Get out-of-there no-w over" O'larks voice rang out from the communicator.

"Agent down." Up responded bluntly into the communicator.

**TRANSLATIONS.**

¡Ayúdame! - Help Me!

¿Puedes oírme? - Can you hear me?

Me llama - My name is/I'm called

Él está bien, que se puede confiar - He's fine, you can rely on him

¿Qué estás haciendo aquí? - What are you doing here?

Mi papá es dueño de este casino... - My dad owns this casino ...

mi papá... - my dad...


	15. Promotions

I do not own Taz/Up/Space-Claw; They Belong to Starkid :D

A/N: Sorry its so small :C

Taz woke up to the strong smell of cleaning fluid. As her eyes dragged open, she could tell she was in the main Hub of the G.L.E.E, and that somewhere down a corridor was the Academy. As Taz slowly tried to sit up, she felt nothing of her lower body.

Oh dead god.

"I've lost my legs." Taz cried aloud.

"What?" a voice beside her asked. Taz twisted her head to see Up sitting on a chair, half asleep and staring at her.

"What happened after the r-robot fell. I don't remember anything after that."

Up's face fell.

"Well... after the robot fell... Zafina passed out and you threw up. We got everyone out from upstairs and two other Ensigns died and couple got injured. Somehow at the end you had carried Zafina out, but then she was taken by a medic and you passed out."

There was a pause.

"Where is she...?"

"She's been granted a civillian status here at the academy; Space-Claw is waiting for you to wake up, but Kit won't even let him in to this ward."

"Why can't I feel my legs?" Taz moaned again. Up pulled her blanket down slightly and Taz saw a white belt across her hips securing her to the bed.

"Kit doesnt want you to move to much." Up shrugged.

"I agree, you need to get better, Lietenant." a voice from the curtain agreed. Dr Space-Claw stood there.

"What did jou call me...?" Taz looked at Space-Claw.

"She's got a promotion?" Up asked.

"Your Right Commander."

"But jou dont promote rookies..."

"Special exception."

"What?" Taz echoed. Space-Claw handed each a badge and Saluted. Up saluted in return and Taz raised her hand to her head from the bed.

"We're...we're.." Up began. Taz noddd and grinned.

The next month passed with Taz training daily and recovering extreemely fast to get to standard. All of her time was either spent in the hospital or in the gym.

Except for the last day.

Jasper's memorial.

There wern't many attendants, all of the Squadron and the family/earth friends of Jasper. Taz saw that not many people had come for the small service from earth; a couple who were presumably his parents and a group of seven kids their age, friends from earth. Taz sat within the quadron group, between Up and stocky blond ensign. Freya, George, Saki and a few other of their classmates stood at the back. They had none of Jasper's remains, so all they could do was talk about him. At the end, the only thing recovered from him and handed to his parents were his Zapper and Dog tags.

"Commander." an ensign appeared and handed Up a list over diner that night. His next mission was an exploration to a planet with his new Squadron, and new lietenant. Taz smiled as she received a letter from the same ensign informing her to collect equiptent from the depot the next morning. When that time did come, she was suprised to see the equiptment the next day. As she was handed the pack from the attendant, she could feel the wool. After closer examination, she saw that each peice of clothing was lined with fur. As she picked it up, she looked at the squadron. She recognized nobody. Well, except Up who walked in twenty seconds after she scanned the room. She silently padded to the pod and sat down.

"All right, boys and girls." Up began to adress them in the pod. There was 8 of them in total. " We shall be an exploration pod to the planet that we have nicknamed Helgron. It can reach -200 in the daytime. Your clothes are lined with animal fur and you are expected to wear them while on the planet. We are one of twelve groups exporing seven planets, and we'll reach the station in eight hours. I want you all to be on your toes, what ever might happen, you need to remember that we are all in this war together. If we can find rescources, we might just win the war by searching Helgron." Up looked at them. "The fate of the war could be in your hands."

Taz stood in her extreemly cramped room. It was a 6X6 box, with only a bunk bed with a wardrobe underneath and a small toilet with a sliding door for privacy. It was so small, she could hardly stand. Therefore she would have to slip into the wardrobe to change each day. Everything in the station was small. 150 rangers were crowding into the space station; it was built to hold 40, but as they had hardly any reascourses now from the robots, they had to make do. Taz sliped out of the door quietly. She was in her pajamas, shorts and a thin tank top. Staring out of the window, she saw the 7 moons that they were exploring. Helgron was in the middle, and the largest. They orbited a large red planet in a line, seven blue balls. Could they really hold the reasources needed to win the war?


	16. Zachary and Taliciana

I do not own Taz or Up, they belong to Starkid :D

A/N: this is the first to contain a little bit of a relationship between Taz and Up. So yeah just warning ya'll

"So Commander; How long is this going to take?" Taz asked Up as they walked through a cave system. They had been at the space station for 3 years now; Taz was getting agitated and would snap at anyone. She just wanted them to find the reasoures.

"Ah while Taz." Up had sent the others in their Squadron ahead.

They continued walking for five minuets. Soon hey were in an uncharted cavern.

"Yo, Up?" Taz asked.

"Yeah?"

"Its Kian's birthday soon. Jou sending him a gift?"  
Kit, Rick and Kian had left the starship corp on Kian's third birthday. They now lived in Mars City with a Datadog and Rick was working as a Trainer for one of the camps there.

"No idea. You have any idea?"

"No idea. Maybe this chunk of rock..." Taz picked up a peice of space junk from the floor.

"HOLY SHIT TAZ." Up pointed his flashlight nd the ground where Taz had lifted the rock. It was shiny grey.

"We found de reasources." Taz whispered. Up typed into the communicator and soon enough, the ensigns were running down the cavern towards them. Taz picked up her communicator and climbed up the rocks until she heard the station pick up.

"Lietenat Taz of Squadron 13e9; Exploration in Helgaron, otherwise known as Moon 5. I will be sending co-ordinates to where we have found a reasource of metalic substance."

"Co-ordinates are recieved help pod is being discharged now."

"Well done lieteant." Up grinned as Taz jumped down. The ensigns saluted and Taz scowled.

"What are we waiting for?" Taz snarled before puling out a drill from the pack.

They continued in that fashion for another year, until enough reasources were found for 10 squads to return. As Taz sat in the pod as it slowly chugged back to the station, Up cme and sat next to her.

"Hey Taz, I was thinking maybe you and me can go and see a movie together tonight? You know, the Karat-"

"Of course." She grinned as he smiled.

"We going back to earth soon, Commander?" an ensign asked. Up shook his head.

"Not for six months Elliots." Up replied. "We're going into a resting section for six months. Then its back to earth once the rookies are out."

"That sounds boring." Taz moaned.

"It can be fun!" Up replied and Taz looked at him like he was crazy.

"Jou kidding me?" Taz glared at him. Up laughed.

"Why jou laughing?" Taz asked as the ship docked into the G.L.E.E hub.

"You look cute when your angry." Up whispered after he dismissed the ensigns.

"Da heck?" Taz asked as they walked down the hallway. As Taz was Up's Lietenant, her room was opposite Up's. However they both went to Up's room to watch the movie.

They watched it once through normally and afterwards through on mute and they made up words. After that they watched other movies, old black and white ones. Finally watching the Karate kid again before Up realised Taz had fallen asleep. He sighed and lifted her off the couch before tucking her into his bed and climbing in the otherside.

Up woke up as his body hit the floor. He sat up and looked at the bed, and saw two chocolate brown eyes gazing back at him.

"The Heck Taz?" Up asked. She stuck out her tongue as he climbed back up onto the bed.

Two months had passed and soon it was Up's birthday. He grinned at Taz as she longued across the minipod he had cleared for use.

"You know, it is my birthday. I doubt I should be the one flying this."

"Okay." Taz stood up and sat in the chair. She turned to Up. "You do know I cant fly these things right?"

"Oh yeah..." Up facepalmed before pulling her out of the chair.

"I rest my case." Taz grinned and kicked her boots off.

"You know, what do you think you would be doing right now if we had never met? If you were born a day earlier?" Up asked.

"In some house somewhere with some man I dont even love because I'm in de stupid aranged marriage." Taz sighed. "And I would have a child by now, coz Mama had Andre when she was 22."

"Thats a bit young..." Up laughed.

"What do jou expect? Grandpapa Castro invented the nuclear waste converter dey use on the ships." Taz breathed out.

"If I had never joined the rangers and If my Mom and Dad were alive, I would be dead." Up Stated bluntly. Robots took over the south when I was four, and they keep flushing back and forth to get any survivors. Which is why me and Rick ran to Illinois after the second time."

"Is jour name really Up?"

"Is your name really Taz?"

"Jou know de answer."

"Okay... so my name isnt Up..." Up paused. "It was my first word, and Dad would call me that and it became a Nicname. Me and Rick always said we dont remember our last name... But Rick said we would mak a new one when we were next asked. We decided that it ended with Johnathan and Kathleen Mills. Ric doesn't know my first name, because he never called me by it. No, my first name isnt Up. My first name is Zachary."

"Zachary?" Taz laughed.

"Hey! Its Up to you" Up laughed back.

"How long until we get to Mars?"

"Nearly there." Up grinned. "Hope your okay with staying in Rick and Kit's basement, they dont have a guest room anymore with the twins due in two months." Up grinned. Taz smiled.

"I still cant beleive that their having another baby - babies that is!" Taz laughed. Up grinned as he began to steer the pod around a large city on mars.

"Dont forget your spacesuit." Up grined at Taz. She grinned. Each house in the suburbs was surrounded by a massive bubble dome made of glass, and the city was completly covered in one. As the pod landed behind a dome, Taz noticed two figures wavining from the side. Rick and Kian. The first thing that happened was Kian running into Taz screaming;

"Aunty Taz! Aunty Taz!"

"Whoa whoa! Kian you know Taz isnt your Aunty!" Rick laughed as he pulled Kian back. Taz grinned at Up as he cleared his throat.

"Oh yeah! Uncle Up!" Kian laughed and hugged him. Taz waggled her eyebrows at him.

"Happy birthday Up!" Rick laughed and they all walked into the dome. It was warm and sunny, and after they un-kitted and saw Kit and the "bump" as Rick was calling it, Taz and Up went to the basement to get settled in.

"Happy Birthday Zach" Taz grinned and kissed him on the cheek.

"Its Up." He replied, his voice crackling slightly.

A/N: Sorry for laziness, but a massive smut chapter coming up soon :L :) x


	17. That Night

_Taz woke up feeling warm. Very warm. She rolled over, but felt strong arms around her waist. Memories flashed back to that night. Up clings on when he's drunk. Taz mused silently, remembering when She and Jasper had slid some alcohol into Up's work out smoothie. He had clinged onto the pair of them in the gym and they had to wriggle away from him._

_Taz paused, still thinking back to Jasper's death stung._

_As she rolled over again, this time she wriggled down and slid out of the bottom of the bed. As she pulled herself up, she noticed she was stark naked. She bent down and reached over for a t shirt and some shorts. She paused as she slipped it over her head. It was Up's, an old Atlanta Falcons jersey. She pulled on the pair of black shorts and climbed back in to the bed. As she climbed in, she noticed the pile of beer cans on the floor by the sofa._

"Rick, Kit and Kian are out of town until tomorrow, its Kit's moms birthday." Up explained.

"So why are we at de Trader Joe's?" Taz asked.

"They want us to feed the Data-dog, but I don't know what they eat."

"Seriously?"

"I never had one."

"We had one." Taz sighed. "He was called Pepe."

"Well then you can help me." Up wheeled the cart over to the pet food area.

"Well jou need eyes, dey have kibble in the kitchen back at de house."

"Oh." Up grinned and then picked up Taz and placed her into the cart and started wheeling her around.

"Dis is degrading jou idiota." Taz leant against the back of the cart as they wandered around the store. The only things that were in the cart other than Taz was a box of Eggs and some Milk. As they headed towards the checkout, Up made a detour and then appeared with two six packs.

"Up, Jou know I'm a lightweight."

"Well, we might as well have some fun whilst my brother is visiting his Mother-in-law..."

_Taz realized how they did have "fun" while they were gone. She slid up between Up's arms. His arms moved her closer towards him._

_"Your warm." Up sighed._

_"Your Awake." Taz grinned. _

_"My head really hurts." Up sighed. "Last thing I remember was we were in Trader Joes." _

_"Nothing else happened exept you got drunk and I dragged you away from the beers at 1 am." Taz sighed. _

_There was a silence._

_"If we didn't have to go back to the academy in three days, I could lie here forever." He grinned. _

_"What are you saying?" Taz held her breath. _

_"I love not having to work out every day." Up sighed. Taz traced his abs with her fingers._

_"Yeah.." _

As they got back to the house, Taz showed Up the boxes of Kibble.

"Feed him after a walk." Taz walked to the closet and reached for the lead.

"Taz?"

"Yeah?"

"You want help reaching that dog lead?"

"Nope." Taz jumped and grabbed the blue cord. She clipped it to the collar and looked at Up as she pulled her space suit on. "Jou coming?"

"Yeah, hang on." He pulled his suit of the hook and watched as Taz suited up the Dog and then they walked out of the door. As they left the air pocket, They ran across the tall grass and soon reached a clear lake, like the one at the academy. It was in its own air pocket and the three of them were able to un-suit there. Taz began a game of Fetch with the dog as Up looked on from behind. Taz fell over the dog and started laughing like a maniac. Up grinned and picked her up. They walked back to the house an hour later, and Taz fed the dog before she cooked food.

She burnt the food. Up ran in laughing at the smell of charred food and moved the pan off the cooker.

"I should have cooked something else."

"What was it?" he poked the contents with the spatula.

"Nothing, it was just pasta" Taz murmered. Up laughed.

"I would have thought you would have cooked tacos, or something."

He ducked as the frying pan flew over his head.

"Okay, lets do cooking with Up and Taz!" He grinned.

"Yes, chef." She smirked.

_"Taz, are you sure nothing happened...?" Up asked as she sat in the kitchen eating breakfast. _

_"What makes jou ask?" Taz asked, the fruit loops sticking in her throat as she tried to swallow._

_"I woke up naked..."_

_"I wasnt Naked, actually this is what I fell asleep in." Taz lied, nodding to the falcons jersey she was still wearing. _

_"Thats.. my football jersey."_

_"I've only ever seen jou wear it once." She grinned. "And dat was two days ago."_

_"It suits you." He grinned and poured a bowl of fruit loops for himself. "Keep it."_

_"Thanks."_

Taz sighed as they sat on the sofa in the basement, watching the Karate Kid on the TV. Up cracked out the beers around the half way point, and they were drunk outta their minds.

"Taz." Up grinned as she climbed off the sofa towards the tv to take out the dvd.

"Si?"

"You hurt my face when you climbed off the sofa." Up complained.

"Well den, I better kiss it better den." Taz sarcastically retorted.

"Okay then." Up smiled.

_As Rick, Kit and Kian returned, Taz remembered vaguely that night. The last thing she remembered from then was the feeling of her pulling the green tank top she was wearing so hard to get it off that it ripped. The next two days passed quickly and soon they were sitting in the pod on the way back to the academy, Up not remembering at all and Taz not going to tell anyone._

_Exept if the unthinkable happened._

_Which it did._

**a/n: OOOHHHH THE SUSPENCE. Btw, the next chapter is a 2 month timeskip :P**


	18. The Unthinkable

**A/N: Happy Valentines Day Guys! Im also going to do a one-shot for valentines day, :D**

**Welp, enjoy this, even though its short. But its mainly dialogue. Yay.**

Taz lay on her back on Saki's sofa. Saki had demanded a "girlie night in" before Taz was deployed back to earth, however they had ended up watching gruesome horror movies. Taz and Saki both fell asleep at the same time on the sofa, and Saki began to kick Taz at 3 am, and Taz rolled her off the sofa.

"I'm to tired for words." Saki mumbled as she crawled out of the room towards her bedroom.

"Saki?"

"Yeah?"

"Jour butt's in de air." Taz snorted as she fell back asleep.

Two hours later, Taz felt like her stomach was burning. _I'm gonna be sick._ Taz thought and made her way to Saki's toilet just in time.

"Taz?" Saki called as she heard the retching from the bathroom.

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Taz grunted back.

"Then why are you violently puking?"

"Must be food poisoning or something."

"Well, I'll have to check anyway. If your going back to earth in four days, you have to be healthy." Saki left to get a scanner from the infirmary. Taz sat on the floor counting on her fingers. She had missed last month. Well, she had missed a month before. But she was 12 then.

Taz left the room and sat on the sofa, and Saki returned a few minuets later.

"I need to ask few questions first."

"Ask away;"

"Well, I know about what you ate since you were with me when you ate it..." Saki tapped information into her scanner. "So, here comes the awkward bit. When was your last period?"

"Very Subtle." Taz snorted. "I missed last month." She shrugged. "Its happened before." She said as Saki's jaw dropped.

"What happened on Mars?"

"What do jou mean?"

"I mean... did you...?"

"Well, scan me and see." Taz was fighting back tears now. There was no way that could have happened. Saki nodded.

"Your... pregnant."

"Don't tell anyone! Me and Up will be fired! And I'm going back to earth soon... I'll take leave after that!" Taz began to babble.

"I wouldn't suggest anything else. Just keep your mouth zipped. And that includes Up." Saki sighed.

"I can't tell him anyway... any relationship between a Commander and Lieutenant is forbidden. He'd gt fired. I would rather keep my child on the ship and return to duties when its in schooling, than have to leave to some stoopid planet because we got fired." Taz sighed.

Saki nodded.

"Your down on earth for four months... by then you'll be showing it. So they wont let you on any pod after that."

"I know... But hey, we'll be fine..." Taz choked as she patted her stomach. There was a baby there... her's and Up's baby.

Damn this baby will be an amazing ranger.

Those four days passed quickly, and Taz had dubbed the baby Gabrielle.

"It feels like a girl." Taz shrugged to Saki. When Taz had her physical before she went down, she made sure to be scanned by Saki.

"You know, he would make an amazing father." Saki whispered to Taz as they hugged. Up as stood talking with the other commanders sharing their pod. Taz would be leaving for earth any minuet.

"Hey hey hey, your squishing Gabrielle." Taz wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Then there was the call to board the pod.

"See you in four months." Saki sighed and faded into the crowd as Taz dragged her feet towards the pod. As she was sat next to Up, she knew he couldn't know. Gabrielle would know, but Up wouldn't. Well, it was for their own good.


	19. The Robots take Manhattan

**A/N: How I didnt cry writing this, I dont know.**

Taz sat in a camp on earth, reading an old spanish book. She had hidden her morning sickness with some medication Saki had given her, but she stil felt very sick.

"Taz?" Up asked, sitting on the bed beside her. "What's up?"

"Nothing." Taz looked down. "Just still feel sick, dat is all."

"We dont have any scanners, so we cant see whats wrong. But Space-Claw has a feeling that, um, well the robots are gonna try and take Manhattan." Up sighed. "And you have to be in the fight."

"I am going to be in de fight, jou idiota." Taz grinned. "I'll be better by den."

"Okay, just try and get some sleep"

"Okay"

~4am~

"TAZ WAKE UP!" Up shook the mexican girl awake.

"Whats-"

"Robots. Going in. Now. Get to the convoy now!" Up ran off to wake up more people. Taz quickly dressed and grabbed her Zapper. She ran towards the convoy and was looking for Up, when she saw him getting into a Jeep.

"How bad, commander?" Taz asked.

"About 200 ensigns out there as we speak."

"Den we should have ti-"

"They'll last about seven minuets, Taz." Up growled as he drove into the city. In the seats behind them were George, Trent and Holly, the latter had re-trained as a ranger and was clutching a Zapper nervously. As Up slammed the brakes, Taz saw swarms of robots in the streets.

"Ay ay ay..." She climbed out of the Jeep and ran behind a dumpster, and started shooting others joined her, and soon, they had got some of the situation under control. Another two jeeps had joined them, and it was all going good, until Taz ran forwards to get closer. She ran towards the Jeep without explaining and began to drive towards the heart of the city.

"TAZ!"

"Have you seen my family!" A woman with mousy brown hair appeared.

"Sorry Ma'am, jou need to get out of-"

"Not without my children! Our apartment building was destroyed as I went to see what was going on and-"

"Ma'am, jou need to get out of here!"

"No!"

"Ma'am, please!" Taz pleaded.

**"You don't understand! Your family hasn't been killed by a robot!" **she screamed.

"I do understand. Don't jou dare say I don't understand. It was my fifteenth birthday. It was my _Quinceanera._ And de robots killed all mi familia. Mi Madre, Mi Padre, Mi Hermanos. De robots almost killed me, but here I am because I was able to survive. Maybe jour children will still be alive, but I can't feel to sorry for jou as I am in the same boat as jou. But I learnt how to freaking deal with it, jou idiota. And I am here saving jour butt. Now get outta the city, jour familia might have already gone." She growled the last part before running away from the Jeep, leaving the woman shell shocked at the sudden outburst.

Taz ran across an alleyway, before she came behind another swarm of robots, and shot them.

"Nice shot." Up grinned.

"How did jou... No. Go."

"I'm not going anywhere!"

"Last time someone followed me like dis, Up, Dey died." Taz frowned.

"But I'm not gonna die, am I?" Up grinned as he pulled up his helmet. "I am a survivor, like you."

That was when a loud _thud...thud... _sounded_. _Taz looked behind her. Towering above all the robots, was a massive robot. While the others were about 10 feet, this one was 100 feet tall. And it was Flanked by two 50 foot tall ones. Taz frowned.

"Up...?"

"Yeah..?"

"Dat thing cannot get past us. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Lets go."

"Taz... I think..." before he finished, she had run towards the metal people.

Taz ran towards the robots, and began picking off the smaller versions of the three much larger ones. Up ran into the other side, and noticed about twenty rows of robots were missing from in front of the much larger trio. They fought for what seemed like hours, and suddenly, they were looming above Up.

"ARRRGHHHH!" Taz screamed as what seemed like a jet of fire errupted from one of the 50 foot robots.

"Taz!" Up ran towards her, and in doing so, dropped his zapper.

It was blistering her skin, her entire body was covered in blisters. She heard Up cry out, and she turned to him. Her hair was still on fire, and she untied her bandanna and flattened out the flames. "Taz!" Up was a lot closer now.

"Up!" Taz was screaming his name. But not for him to save her, to save him. A giant metal hand appeared from beside him as he ran. It slowly lifted him towards the sky.

"TAZ!"

"UP!"

"TAZ L-LOPEZ!" Up screamed.

Taz frowned.

"YES?" she screamed, as she began to fire rounds at the robot.

"I LOVE YOU!"

Taz went into shock. In all this confusion, she had forgotten about Gabrielle. She clenched her stomach now, and as she did, she saw Up spread eagle in the air.

_Now or Never._

"UP! I LOVE YOU TOO!" she screamed. Up was screaming himself now. Taz reached for her Zapper, but couldn't see it. She couldn't remember when she had dropped it. "UP! IM P-"

There was a terrible ripping noise.

Blood sprayed everywhere.

In the robots hands were two halves of Up's body.

_This is just a dream... just a dream..._

Taz cried out as the two halves were chucked over her and landed on different sides of the street, about 200 yards away. The robot's hand came down for her as well at that point. She stared straight at it, ignoring the pain from her blistered skin. Ignoring the pains from Gabrielle. She ignored the pain of her heart being ripped up over and over again. This thing ripped Up. This thing killed Up. It was going to pay, even if she was unarmed. She tried to run her blistered hands across her pants pocket, she felt it. A small, red grenade. She would kill this robot. She would avenge Up. Gabrielle made her puke, something that hadnt happened in a while.

But it wasn't baby puke.

It was blood.

The robot lifted her up above the buildings until she was level with its face. She clutched the grenade, and pulled the pin just as the pulling sensation began. She had one throw. She aimed for the open sockets of the robots eye.

She threw the grenade, and hit its target. She counted to three, and then smiled sweetly.

"Fuck jou."

Then everything exploded...


	20. Aftermath

_Birds_ chattered and Taz could hear the wind whistling.

_It was_ just_ a dream._

Taz opened her eyes and stared at the sky. There was blue sky and clouds.

_I must have fallen asleep at the lake._

Any second, Up would call her for some reason, or Saki would run towards her yelling about something to do with the medical staff. Maybe Jasper was still alive? She felt something nudge beside her, probably some sort of rock. She reached out and felt a human hand.

She opened her eyes wider, and saw she wasn't at the lake. Tall city blocks erupted from around her. The clouds in the sky was smoke, and the smell of blood was strong. Gabrielle punched her stomach again, something Saki said shouldn't happen yet.

_Oh no._

Something was wrong. Maybe she was in labour? No, not for a few months yet. She looked closer at the body beside her, just by tilting her head. She saw the left side of a man. He had strong stocky muscles, a six pack, and was wearing a commander uniform. She reached out and clutched the hand. Her eyes trailed up his arm and rested on his face. A 'tash was formed underneath his nose, light brown with specks of grey. The man's hair was similar, but more like grey snow had landed all over it. Even the eyebrows had some grey in it, resting above closed eyes that Taz knew would be a bright baby blue. Then the body just stopped. It was like someone had taken a picture and cut it in half, there was no guts or anything spilling out of him, just a thin trickle off blood. Her stomach clenched again, and Taz passed out.

Two hours passed.

Up's hand was much colder now, and the pool of blood she was lying in had congealed. Taz felt stronger and sat up, the baby wasn't killing her anymore, her aching heart was.

"RANGERS ASSEMBLE AT BASE." some sort of intercom rang out.

"Come on Up. We need to go back." Taz tried to say, but it came out as squeaks. She sat up and felt the skin touching the pavement tear off from the burns. She held her breath and reached out for up, but then stopped. Her left wrist was broken, and one of her legs was sticking out at an odd angle.

She couldn't move.

What was she thinking? Of course she could.

"I'll get jou back." Taz vowed, it came out hoarse this time, from all the smoke. She saw a burnt out Jeep to the left of them, she slowly began to inch towards the Jeep, clinging on to Up's broken body with her other hand. When she got there, she used her left elbow to pull herself to her small yet full height. She lifted Up onto the Jeep, and started to sob, he was dead. And she could only take a half of him, there were no non burnt out cars nearby, and she would have trouble even carrying this half. She couldn't even see the right half anymore. Slowly, she pulled off one of her tank-top's sleeves and fastened the half of Up to her back, before slowly hobbling back to base, then she stopped. Her Zapper. She wasn't going to die, not after all that Up did to save her when she was 15. She ended up slowly heading back to where the grenade went, and found it in an alleyway. She placed the gun beneath her and began to hobble back to Base, using it as a crutch.

She found the hill towards the base hard to navigate, but she felt some lukewarm blood leaking down her top. Her skin was stinging from the burns, and her wrist and leg were killing her. Suddenly, she saw the small camp that the rangers were calling Base.

_"We can only assume that they caused the large explosion, which would mean that they are most likely dead, but we'll send a search party out."_

_"Taz wont be dead, she's come out of worse. Remember the Casino?" Rick growled. "And she wouldn't let my brother be dead, even if she had to go back in time."_

_"I guess her luck ran out." Space-Claw shook his head. "We're sorry for bringing you down to earth for such bad circumstances, Commander."_

_"Ex-Commander. And I'm not leaving until this is sorted"_

_"You may be waiting a long time." Space-Claw shrugged, and then pulled out a piece of paper work. Silently, he dragged his pen over the pictures of Taz and Up, and scrawled on each one:_

_MIA. presumed KIA._

Taz sat down silently and stared at Up. She had carried him best she could, but it wasn't working and now she was a half mile up a hill, with the Base another mile up. Dead-god, this was a huuuggeee hill. She decided to rub her stomach to get a reaction from Gabrielle, but nothing happened. Suddenly, she was up and dragging the body faster, because something was wrong. She wasn't attacking her stomach, and she wasn't going to lose the last piece of Up.

_"I am sad to announce," Space-Claw began at the addressing of the rangers "That we lost two of our best soldiers out there." Everyone in the room paused, and nobody noticed the woman with a bandanna and a dead body slung across her back enter the room."Commander Up and Lieutenant Taz Gomez."_

_"I told jou." Someone coughed from the doorway. "Its just Taz."_

A/N: sorry this is so short, but it covers some important issues that need to be covered, well, sorta. Thank you to every review, and each one spurs me on to write faster! :D


	21. Rehab

Taz's POV

* * *

I woke up to someone dabbing her face with cool water.

"Oh! Your awake!" a young nurse squeaked.

"Up... he's..." before i could finish she rushed from the room. I sat up straighter. My arms had no burns on them, just scars. My head hurt and my hair was almost all singed off. Saki walked in then. She had clearly been crying.

"Taz... I have some news."

"If its about Up, I don't want to know."

"Its about Gabrielle."

* * *

Taz sat in a garden. It was a rehabilitation center, and she in a separated area, sectioned off by grey stone walls. She sat on the ground with her back against the cold rock, her hand resting on her abdomen.

_Miscarried from war wounds and Depression. _Since when had Taz been depressed... her mind slowly remembered her crying as Up's body was torn, as she carried the body back.

* * *

_"You can go on leave, or you can go to earth and train new cadets." Space-Claw had given her the choice that afternoon._

_"I've only just woken up."_

_"Give her time, Sir." Saki commented. He nodded and left._

_"I'll go back to earth once de robots are gone."_

_"They surrendered." Saki looked me in the eye. "You and Up ended the robot wars."_

* * *

Taz felt so alone; although Saki was here, she had no Up. She had no Gabrielle. She had seen Up on a regular basis since she was 15. Now he was gone.

* * *

Up's POV

* * *

_"Taz?" I asked. The first word I said out of surgery. Taz._

_"I can't disclose that information." The doctor sighed. I looked at my right side of my body. It was all metal, and cold. Except it had my blood pumping through in artificial veins. _

_"So... I have one of everything?"_

_"Not quite." The doctor sighed._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"We lost... both of your testicles."_

* * *

I stood in an area of the garden, the synthetic skin over my right half met seamlessly with my real skin. However, that side still behaved as a robot. I hated it.

"You need to control your actions Up!" a nurse sighed. Rick was stood beside me, possibly missing the birth of the twins for me.

"I'm sorry." I whimpered.

* * *

Taz's POV

* * *

Someone in the area next to me was sniffling. All I heard were mechanic noises and crying. I should be the one crying. I had been here for two weeks now, and for all I know, the half of the man I loved that survived could be six feet under by now. I frowned and decided I see who it was, so I went to my room and got a chair, before standing on it.

"Up..." I whispered. He looked up.

"Taz...?" He replied, and shakily made his way towards me. He was whole, he was intact, then I noticed, the right side of him was a robot. I jumped from the chair and ran back to my room, where Saki was.

"Whats going on."

"You could have told me Up was half robot!"

"That's why they called a robotic's team out?" she looked confused.

"Tell Space-Claw I'll train those Cadets for him. Just get me out of here."

* * *

Sorry its so short! But it covers some pretty important stuff! Im back at school tomorrow, so wont be able to update as much! Sorry!


	22. Krayonder

A/N: I'm meant to be revising, but you guys are more important .

* * *

Taz walked around the camp; it was in Michigan, and she was on her way to train her first class.

"Lieutenant Taz." the commander nodded as she passed him. Taz had been offered a promotion, but had refused it. She was the first rookie to be promoted to Lieutenant and skip the rank of Ensign, and she was the first Lieutenant to refuse a promotion. She couldnt care less, did her rank matter to Up being half a robot? No.

"Phill! Stop messing around! The teacher will be here soon!" a cadet yelled at another.

"Is that her?" Phill asked the first guy.

"Nah, to scrawny to be Lieutenant Taz."

"Lieutenant Taz? You mean Taz and Up?"

"Shes amazing!"

"She killed the last robot!"

"Yeah, that cant be her!" the guy yelled.

"Oh really? Jou think so?" all the cadets paused. She looked at her class. "First things first, no matter what you've heard, nobody, and I mean NOBODY" she screamed. "Mentions Commander Up." there were a few murmers from the class.

"NOBODY!" Taz screamed. She looked at the kid who doubted her Taz-ness. "Jou." he looked taken aback. "Get jour ass over here now."

"Yes Lieutenant?"

"What's jour name?"

"Sir, Max Krayonder, Sir!" he stammered. Taz shook her head.

"Pathetic name. Krayondare." she sighed.

"Sir, Sorry its pronounced Krayon-de-r, not Kray-on-dare, sir." he was begging to sweat. Taz shook her head.

"I have an accent, and that's all jou need to know." she snarled. "Krayonder then? Well, thanks to jour buddie Krayonder mocking my way of speaking, jou can all run twenty laps outside."

There was a chorus of "Thanks Max!" or "What kind of a lame-ass name is Krayonder anyway?" and one or two choice swear words, as the group went outside. Taz stood by the door, counting each time a cadet passed. Then she noticed a young man running the wrong way.

"HEY!" Taz screamed, and ran towards the man. "Jour running de wrong way." She turned him around, and he started babbling about a farm planet or something. Taz shook her head and motioned for him to start running again. "I hope I never work wid a farm planet kid." Taz growled under her breath as she walked back to where she was stood. Krayonder was the first back.

"Weeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllll lllllllllllllll." he lengthened the word to much as he fiddled with his cap. "Whats my next task?" he grinned. Taz smirked. This kid had spunk. She looked around, and motioned for the strongest kid to come forwards.

"Battle training." She pointed to the mat. "Go!" She yelled. The pair started to spar on the mat, and soon the kid had beaten Krayonder. She walked over, and motioned for Krayonder to get up. "I once had to run laps for losing, and it hurts. But I was beaten in my first lesson by a third year. Two laps." he ran off, and Taz looked at the group that had formed. "Who's next?"

* * *

Two years had passed; and Taz's class were being transferred to the academy ship. She followed them all off the pod as it docked, and she looked at Space-Claw.

"Taz? How've you been?" he placed his arm on her shoulder.

"Fine." Taz snarled. Before she walked of she added "Don't mention Up to me."

Saki ran into her half a hour later.

"Things would have been better if you had stayed. She shook her head. "He wanted to see you, and he cried when we told him you'd left."

"Up doesn't cry."

"Well then, he's changed a lot. He cried when we mention you... I didn't tell him about Gabrielle, but if I did, he would have cried again. He cried even if we mention the Rangers. But now he's back." Saki shrugged. Taz growled and walked towards the cafeteria, followed by Saki. "Where are you going."

"Well, I need food." Taz growled. She grabbed her plate full of eggs and bacon, before turning to look for a place to sit. And there he was, his back to Taz. But she knew it was him, with his grey hair and wearing a grey body suit. Taz looked around, before she was Freya and George sitting at a table to the right of where Up was. Taz and Saki went and sat down beside them, and Taz noticed something on Freya's fingers. "Mierda!" she looked at the pair of them. "Jour getting Married?" Freya and George looked at each other, before they nodded.

"We were waiting for you to come back." George smiled. Freya looked at her.

"Will you be a bridesmaid with Saki?" Freya asked. Taz nodded, before digging into her eggs and bacon.

* * *

It was the wedding reception, and Taz stood towards the back, wearing a knee length white dress with a black ribbon across the waist, identical to Saki's, except the ribbon on Saki's was a light pink. Taz reclined against the wall at the back, fiddling with her dress. That morning she had got the news that she would be going on an exploration mission with Up and New Cadets and one Rookie, her Rookie Krayonder. That kid got on her nerves, but as his Mentor, he would be one of the strongest rangers. He appeared now, and grinned at Taz.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Taz nodded.

"To many memories." she shrugged. "Don't!" she shut his mouth before he could talk.

"I wasn't going to." he frowned. "Don't beat yourself up over it." he was wearing a light grey suit, and had ditched his stupid cap for the evening. He held out his hand and mimed dancing, but Taz shook her head.

"I only dance with Up." and she left the room.


	23. Two Years (Starship Act 1 part 4)

A/N : SORRY ITS BEEN SO LOOONNNNGGGG

Disclaimer: I dont own anyof the caracters, or this part of the plot.

* * *

"ALRIGHT PEOPLE. JOU HEARD IT." Taz ran through the hall way. "DIS IS A RESCUE MISSION. GET JOUR ZAPPERS - SET DEM TO PEW." Taz raised her Zapper and shot a few times to check it wasnt jammed.

"Whoa!" Krayonder appeared silently from his room. "Hey Taz, your pretty tough for a chick."

"I was just gonna say de same thing about jou." she snarkily replied.

"WHHOOOOAAAAA!" Taz thought after teaching him for 2 years, the kid wouldn't be as annoying anymore. She was wrong, of course.

"SPECS!" Taz yelled as the curly haired Engineer ran in.

"Yes Lieutenant!"

"Scan de surface of dis planet." Taz ordered. "I want to know whats going on down dere."

Taz was silently screaming. In a few moments, she would come face to face with Up; during the journey on the pod, she kept her eyes averted from him by reading, and once they reached the main ship above this planet, she had kept her distance by making Krayonder bring her food.

"I'll try Lieutenant, but Gamma Storms are interfeering with my equiptment." Specs brought her out of her silent break down with her nasally voice. "My spectrometer readings are of the wazooooo!" Taz paused at the last comment. Her and Krayonder were rather alike i the fact they would both utter random words. The similarities stopped there.

**COUNTDOWN IN 3 MINUTES.**

A loud voice yelled out the time, and Taz was dimly aware of something... someone was running down the corridor, making "ooo"-ing noises?

"'Scuze me lil gurl!" He began. Taz frowned. She was wayyyyy older than him! "I'm new here and I was wondering; Whats this?"

"Dats jour Zapper."

"Whats that?"

"ITS A GUN STOOPID. Jou shoot stuff with it." Taz was getting really pissed off.

"Thats not what I've been using it for, sorry. See where I come from, Farm Planet, we don' 'ave or know much o' nothin'. Thats why I joined the Starship Rangers, I mean today alone I found out that this is a gun!" He was_ mucho estupido_. "AND I saw the proof, that science killed God! Its comforting to know he was once alive though, I like to think that when he died he went to heaven abov-"

"HEY! GET OUTTA MY FACE, PEPE. IM PREPPING FOR A RESCUE MISSION." Taz knew this kid would be on it to, so she began to adjust the extra equiptment she had gathered throughout the years; her dog tags, armband and bandanna all got a thorough check.

"Oh Im assigned to the rescue mission to! Hey- My name is Tootsie Noodles!" he held out his hand.

WHAT.

"De hell kinda name is dat?" Taz snarled.

"See where I come from, Farm Planet, your first name's what'ya do, your second name is what'ya like. So I'm called Tootsie, on account of my occasional toot; and Noodles, coz I like 'em. See, where I come from-"

"SHUT UP!" Taz screeched. "What am I supposed to do wid jou? JOU KNOW NOTHING!"

"I'm willing to learn, sir! I must warn you, I'm a slow learner." He turned to Krayonder. "Hey! HEY! Whats this?" He held his Zapper up to Krayonder, who shook his head and whacked it with his hand. Specs was pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.

"So." Taz began. "DIS IS DE RESCUE SQUAD, HUH? LOOK AT JOU! None of Jou have what it takes to serve under Commander Up."

Taz froze. That was the first time she'd said his name since she started training Krayonder. She moved her arm slowly over her abdomen, and patted it; wishing she still had Gabby. Sure, she would have been made a civillian or something, but just to have her daughter she never wanted to have - but never wanted to lose - in her arms would be all she would have needed. Now she has nothing left of Up except memories and the man himself. But that man is the _new _Up. The old Up would be standing with her now, talking to her and laughing with her. If it wasn't for that Robot, the pair of them would be with Gabrielle in a house somewhere, or on the ship. Infact, she would do anything to have died at her Quincinera.

She was dimly aware of Tootsie and Specs fangirling over Up, when Krayonder said something that made her blood boil.

"Yeah? Well I heard he went soft."

Taz felt like she was going to stab her rookie.

"Yeah, he used to be all that and a bag of Flavo-fives, but now hes like a total wimp. Like the other day, he was in the cafeteria just CUH-RYING infront of everybody."

"HEY!" Taz had enough, rookie or no rookie, Krayonder was gonna pay. "Jou got something to say about de commander?"

"Uh... no... OH I FORGOT!" Krayonder looked extremely guilty. "You guys fought in the robot wars together..."

"YEAH KRAYONDARE." Krayonder looked miffed she'd stopped pronouncing his name right. "Where he saved my life a hundred times.

"Well, yeah! He was like a super soldier!"

"What do jou mean... 'was'?"

"uhhh... NOTHING MAN! I just heard about his injury."

Everyone paused. Nobody mentioned Commander Up's injury.

"I mean... his famous injury that everybody knows about. You know the one the Robots gave to him?" Taz was there, for dead-gods sake! "Man those robots must of really messed him up, coz like I heard this rumour that he had gone... soft..."

Everything froze.

"Put jour hand on dat wall."

"What? Why"

"Put jour hand oN DAT WALL!" Taz screeched. Krayonder ran towards the wall and placed his had on it. Taz pulled out her knife.

"WAIT! OH PLEASE! PLEASE DONT THROW A KNIFE AT MY HAND! OH QUIT MESSING AROUND MAN! THATS NOT FUNNY!"

"Oh? Dont throw de knife?" Taz asked. Krayonder nodded. "Okay."

Max instantly relaxed, and walked slowly towards his mentor.

"NAGAHNAH!" Taz grunted as she lodged her knife into Krayonder's back. It wasnt in a spot where damage could be done, but it would still hurt. "JOU LISTEN TO ME NOW JOU LITTLE FART. UP IS DE TOUGHEST SON OF A BITCH I EVER MET IN MY LIIFE."

"YOU STABBED ME!"

Specs and Tootsie were feeling very awkward and rather frightened of their Lieutenant at this point.

"HE EATS...HE EATS EAGLES FOR BREAKFAST!" Taz was making this all up now. "HE SLEEP ON BED OF FIRE. AND WHEN UP CUTS AN ONION... DE ONION IS DE ONE WHO CRY."

"Im dying!" Krayonder weakly groaned, which wasn't true as Taz had only given him a flesh wound, that weakling.

"SO JOU BETTER UN-FART JOURSELF, OR UP WILL UNSCREW JOUR HEAD AND DROP DE WISHING PENNIES DOWN JOUR THROAT." Krayonder grunted. "Now take a walk off my knife."

Krayonder stepped forwards, and Taz pulled the knife back from his back.

"Ohhh? Does that hurt jou? Well... WALK IT OFF!" Taz proceeded to give herself a few stabs in the chest, none actually going in, but showing Krayonder how much of a pussie he could be sometimes.

**COMMANDER ON DECK. DROP DOWN IN TWO MINUTES.**

This was it... two years had passed. Up was here now, and she had to be ready; for both of them. No, for all three of them. For little Gabrielle watching from the sky.

"Yeah, Fall in." Taz called, attempting to act calm. All she wanted to do was run and hide from the scary robot shell of Up, but he was still the man she loved so she had to do this. "Jou better pray dat Up likes jour stupid faces, or he may just rip dem off." Krayonder looked petrified. Taz's heartbeat was rising like a volcano, but she still stood firmly.

She turned away as the doors slid open behind them, the same door she had arrived in minutes ago. Taz stared straight ahead as he stompd towards them. She snuck one glanse at him as he withdrew a cigar (since when has he smoked?) and threw it on the ground. Taz kept her scowl on her face, hiding any expression behind her welling-up eyes.

"All right boys and Girls. I'm Commander Up."


	24. Gotta Get Back Up

A/N: Sorry its been so long! This is mainly from Taz's POV, with not much speech apart from Get Back Up :3 Enjoy!

That idiota Junior is muy estupido. A Robot? A ROBOT? Up practically fell apart. Me ran and hid behind...me. The shortest person in the room. Also, the person who is the reason he's half a robot today. But, as I stood defiantly holding my Zapper towards that tin can, Up clutched my back, whimpering. At one point, I felt his lips brush against my back as he murmered. I wanted to curl up beside him. I wanted to kiss him again - we'd only really kissed a handful of times - I wanted that estupido battle to never happen and we could be somewhere else right now, with Gabrielle. But this wasn't the man I loved. It was just a hollow shell.  
After Junior and the Robot left, the rest of the crew all ran down the corridors to the Drop pod. Well, everyone except Up. He looked me in the eyes.  
"I've been feeling like a wet blanket these days. Go on ahead without me."  
Last time I did that, I killed the man I loved. I shook my head. Instead, I began to remind up of all the happy memories. Well, Happy Memories when he was a badass.  
"Jou know, jou taught me something once." I looked into his brilliant, blue eyes. "That no matter how hard jou get knocked down, jou always gotta get back up. So now its jour turn! Get Back Up!" I looked at him.  
"Jou say jou've lost your edge. Well I say it's all in jour head. Listen up! I gotta message for jou." I paused. "And now we dance!" I yelled, as I held out my hand to Up. He took it and it was lik every move was rehersed. "Jou got something of a dry spell. But you taught me everything that I know, So why not let me teach a thing or two?" I sang. Up had never heard me sing before. He looked kind suprised, but happy.  
"Jour a total Badass, at the top of jour class! Now, your telling me jou have jour doubts!" I sang. "Well I'm not about to let a ranger forget, what being a ranger is all about!" Up twirled me and I spun towards the other half of the room; Specs, Tootsie and Krayonder emerged dancing behind me. It was like they had been waiting for me to start singing or something. "We're here to get de job done! It doesn't matter if its tough or its fun! We dont hide and we dont run awaayyy!" I held the note and turned back to Up.  
"'Cause , We're here to get de job done, and we'll do it better than anyone!" I grinned. "If we ever feel like we've gone astray... We gotta get up, gotta get back, get back up!" I sung the catchy hook of the song. "So ya gotta get up, gotta get back- get back up!" The four of us danced around for a short while. "I know jou've seen some rough times. Hell, I've seen em to." I looked into his eyes. "But I ain't seen anyone face 'em half as well as jou." Actually, I've seen George and Freya survive worse. Jasper's just Jasper. "This is no time to worry, this is no time for fuss. I know just how great jou are and I think I speak for all of us!" I turned to the three rangers dancing behind me, and motioned for them to fall in.  
"Okay idiotas, say something nice; or I will kill you."  
"You're the coolest dude around!" Specs yelled.  
"You've never let me down!" Tootsie added.  
"Take a good look in the mirror!" I purred to up, before reaching for my knife. Candy-ass hadn't spoken yet.  
"Ummm. You're an awesome guy?" he chanted.  
"And the reason why-" I began.  
"Every one of us is here!" we all sang, and I looked at Up.  
"I'm here to get the job the done! I'm a beautiful son of a gun! I'm the only one who can make it true!" Suddenly, we were all singing -  
"We're here to get the job done! It doesn't matter- small or a ton! When we're down, and there's none that we can do - We gotta get up, gotta get back, get back up!"  
"I gotta get up, gotta get back, get back up!" Up drawled.  
"We gotta get up, gotta get back, get back up!" We all sung. "We gotta get up, gotta get back get back get back" Tootsie had an amazing voice, it turned out.  
"I'm gonna get..." Up sung.  
"Get back up!"


	25. Good, I love her

A/N: sorry I disappeared again! But here's a long chapter to try and make up for it ;)

* * *

Taz's POV

* * *

I had to talk to him.

"I'm not sure that's wise..." Saki muttered over the phone. She'd called me about some news from our friends on the ship, but we'd spiraled into another topic.

"I need to clear my chest... I need him to know about Gabrielle."

"What's there to know?" Saki's tone turned venomous. "You lost Gabrielle, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but he has to know." I murmured. "He has a right to know!"

"Look." Saki sounded softer. "Nothing can bring her back..."

"Do jou think I don't know dat?!" I yelled down the phone. "Do jou think that isn't permanently etched into my mind?"

"I didn't say it wasn't..."

"Have jou felt the pain of losing something inside jou? No." I hissed.

"I've gotta go..."

"Wait, what did jou want to tell me?"

"I can tell you another time..."

"No... I want to know..." I held my head in my hands. "I'm sorry, alright?"

"It's okay, but..."

"Just tell me."

"Freya's pregnant."

It took a moment for this to sink in. Freya and George's baby meant that Gabby wasn't the only baby from our friendship group anymore - she didn't even make it to being born. This baby would be accepted - Geore and Freya were in the same rank after all. Me and Up weren't.

"Congratulations for her." I choked before hanging up. I placed my receiver on my bunk and began to run away from it - expecting some sort of demon to wisp out of it. I ran past February, talking to that new guy Bug about the ship. I ran past Specs muttering about something to do with her glasses. I was about to run past Krayonder until he caught me in his arms.

"What's up?"

"Nothing." I scowled.

"Then why are you crying, Candy-ass?"

"Jou're the Candy-ass." I tried to smile, but tears streamed out from my eyes as my lips curved upwards. "Let go of me." I ordered.

"No."

I bared my teeth and bit my rookie on the shoulder. His hand flew to the puncture-marks I made on his uniform, before darting away from him. I came to a stop outside of Up's quarters. The door was ajar and I slipped in after knocking. Up wasn't in there. I felt like I was going to collapse, and curled up in a ball behind his bookcase. When he arrived, I'd just slip out after recovering my strength.

Don't fall asleep.

Don't fall asleep.

Don't fall asl-

* * *

"You wanted to see me, Sir?" Spec's voice rang in the room and I woke with a start. My watch told me I'd missed both Lunch and Dinner. I heard Up cough. He was sitting at his desk, looking into some papers. I peered out and saw my file sitting on his desk, beside everyone else's in our crew. My file was the one closest to him.

"Oh, Specs. Yeah, I did." He responded. "Its been a heck of a day, hasn't it Specs?"

I heard some footsteps and I glanced towards them, to see Bug approach before turning away again. Neither of them seemed to notice him.

Specs and Up were talking about the Giant Spider incident this morning. I knew Up couldn't remember anything, so I played the V card as well after Candy-ass declared himself as a Virgin and all the others did too.

"At the time I found it scientifically Fascinating."

"BULLSHIT." Up growled, Spec's jumped but I stayed planted to the spot. At least he wasn't crying.

"I think somebodies putting on a dead-god-damn brave face! Specs, why don't you get over here and sit on my lap?"

Huh? Was Up now in a relationship with Specs? They can't be. I've seen the way she looks at Candy-ass.

" 'scuze me, sir?"

"Well the world always looks a little bit brighter... from on top of a lap."

"I really dont-"

"I gave you an order, soldier." Up growled.

"Okay..." Specs shrugged. I listened as Up told some sort of bedtime story to the ginger engineer. She fell asleep, and then I heard another pair of footsteps. _Candy-ass Krayonder's gonna rat me out._

"Sir have you seen T-"

"Shhhh!" Up quietened him and beckoned him forward.

"Yes sir?" Krayonder asked, quieter.

"Take this little hero off to bed." Up motioned to the sleeping form of Specs.

"Yes, sir." Krayonder took her from Up's arms.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Watch her head!" Up yelled.

"I got her!" My Rookie hissed back. I don't think Up noticed the protective look in Krayonder's eyes as he cradled the woman he loved closer to him.

"Oh and Private!"

"Yes, Sir?"

"If you don't tuck her in _tight _I swear I will see you court marshaled."

"Yes, Sir." Krayonder withdrew from the room with Specs.

"Hello, Sir." Bug appeared from the doorway.

"Oh! If it isn't Bug, my oldest a dearest friend!"

"Oh? What about me jou fool?" I hissed under my breath. Truth be told, I was a lousy friend.

"Come on in, what can I do for ya?" Up asked Bug.

"Uh, well... The thing is sir, I need some help. I've got a problem and It may be the biggest problem ever... and I am not smart enough to figure it out."

"Don't say that my dear!" Up interjected. Bug looked creeped out.

"No... its true." Bug shuffled his feet. "Commander Up, What if someone likes you...alot. But they only like you because.. everything they know about you is a lie?"

"mmhmm..." Up snorted. "mmmhmmmmm..." He padded closer to the bookshelf. I could smell his sweet smell... He smelt like After-Shave and the cleaning fluids he uses on his boots. "So this is about me. And how I've been lying to you."

"N-no not exactly..." Bug stuttered. "Wanna talk about that instead?"

"...yeah..." Up nodded. Bug sat in Up's desk chair.

"Here, um... sit on my lap."

"Alright." Up sat carefully on the new-guys leg and nestled into him. I sat and painfully listened to Up recite the past two years. I had hot fresh tears welling in my eyes and I didn't want to blink.

"So now you know, Bug." his drawl rattled on. "I got no balls... But I've got a heart."

"Then learn how to kill with your heart! You know, the most dangerous creature on my planet is the mother spider, protecting her young. Because she loves her babies so much, she will fight until nothing is left! Until every last ounce of pus is drained from her exo-skeleton!" Gross. " Because she loves to much, she becomes the most feared creature on our planet. Because she can kill with her heart."

"Wow... I feel loads better... What were you talking about? Whats your problem? Tell it to me! I can help in anyway that I can!"

"Okay, um, you see the thing is, I like this girl..."

"It's not Taz, is it?"

"Hah, no." Bug chuckled.

"Good... I love Taz."

* * *

A/N: Huh?

Did he just say...

I think he did...

:D

I know its "I like Taz" but I changed it to love due to the circumstances. :3

UNTIL NEXT TIME.


	26. Those Damn Bugs

A/N: oooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh

Replies:

GuiltyBystanders: aww I hope you like it :)

Dobby: *happy dance*

* * *

Up's POV

What the heck? What's this giant bug doing on the ship? I was still confused as to how the GLEE suddenly became the really bad guys (well, Space-Claw anyway) but now we have some Giant scorpion on board?

Tootsie was missing, and the Bug had February in his giant claw. Bug was communicating with the Scorpion... how?

"Bug! Bug! What are all them googley noises coming out of your mouth? You chatting with this thing?" I asked, scared. Not for me though. Because Taz was sitting a few feet behind me.

"uh..." Bug began.

"What de hells going on Bug?" Taz yowled in her Hispanic Accent from where she was sitting, crossed legged on the floor but clutching her Zapper. Why was I scared for her? This bug wouldn't get past her.

"Um... I'm saving February!" Bug stuttered. He turned to the bug and the pair began to converse again in Bug-ese or whatever. The Bug looked closer at February.

"BUG WHATS GOING ON?" February cried. Tears were streaming down the blonde's face as she was held in the air by the scorpion.

"Don't worry February! Were just... uh... negotiating his surrender." He reassured us.

Every breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, the Bug growled and went beserk. I felt my heart spin as I heard Taz scream. Taz screaming? Not in fury but in Fear?

They talked some more, until Bug looked forlorn.

"Everybody... February... I'm not who I say I am... Pincer here, he uh... he helped me switch bodies so that I could get to know all of you..."

"What...?" Feb asked.

"February... I'm not a Starship Ranger. I'm not even a human. I'm... I'm a _bug_." February's mouth opened wide and she started to hyperventilate. "I'm... I'm a bug in a human body." Bug glanced over at me. I was shocked. February clearly wasn't taking the news well; she seemed to look like she wanted to punch somebody and sob. Pincer started to cackled gleefully. Taz looked up and me and all I could do is stare on looking at Bug... was this Pincer guy going to eat us?

Suddenly, the ship jolted.

**_"Core set to Overload. Complete meltdown immanent. Prey to your dead god, puny humans. Your fiery deaths are inevitable."_**

Taz was actually murmuring under her breath. It was fast and Spanish and incomprehensible to me.

"Its not over yet, man!" Krayonder was yelling. Dead-God, Taz had passed down some of her spunk to this kid. He took out his Zapper and started shooting Pincer, who dropped February. Three mosquitoes stood behind him, and he looked drained but the rookie stood his ground. "RUN! I've got him pinned down like a piece of _Uranian Pootee!_" I had no idea what that was, but the last thing I saw before running down the hatch with everyone else was Pincer grabbing Krayonder. "One day." he coughed. "Somebody like me is gonna kill you and your hold effing race, man!"

"Oh, yes! Thats very nice!" Pincer chuckled and Specs pushed everyone along.

"KRAYONDER! NOOOO!" I yelled. I couldn't help it. Taz was still looking tough, but I swear I saw tears in her eyes.

"C'mon! Lets go! Those Cocorachas cant be far behind!" Taz ordered as we burst into one of the openings in the hallway; we were near the dorms and as if by fate, Krayonder's door was the nearest one to us. February and Bug were squabbling to the side of us. They had stopped behind us and were screaming, and Taz was stood, agitated as anything and pacing back and forth.

"DON'T TALK TO ME BUG I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR LIIIEEESSS." February sobbed and I held my arms out to her.

"Come 'ere! Come 'ere! Let it out! Let it out!" I could feel Taz judging me, by Feb needed a shoulder to cry on. "Look what you did!" I hissed at up, although I didn't mean it.

"I never meant for anyone to get hurt, Up! You've gotta believe me!" Bug was nearly sobbing himself. Specs was holding herself better, and she just saw the man she loved being torn apart. Neither of them knew that the other one liked them, but it was obvious in how they acted.

"¡Dia de las fuertos!" Taz screeched. "He can't be trusted!" she yelled at Bug. Then she looked at me. "And neither can jou." she hissed. "SPECS! Go find Tootsie and reverse the core-overload!"

Suddenly, we heard a loud buzzing noise - the mosquitoes!

"THEIR COMING!" Feb sobbed.

"DAMMIT!" Taz yowled. "Gimme dis..." She took the Zapper from my arms and handed it to the science officer. "Do jou know how to use on of dese?"

"Uhhh, I think so! I've used a blowdryer before."

"Uh, ok." Taz muttered. "If something attack jou, jou pretend jou try to blow dry 'is hair." he accent was thick and I saw the glint of battle in her eyes, like a wildfire. "NOW GO LOCK JOURSELF IN JOUR ROOM." she ordered her. Taz shouldn't have turned down that Commander job. She would have been a better commander than me!

"Okay! Got it!" Feb sounded more composed as she ran down the hall. Bug stared after her. I turned and saw Taz running - towards the bugs!

"Wait! TAZ!" I yelled. "Where 'ya going?"

"I'm going to go over dere and mislead those damn bugs and buy us some time."

"But Taz! That sounds awfully dangerous!"

"I know, Up..." her eyes darkened. "An old friend taught me once what its like to laugh in the face of danger... SO JOU TWO IDIOTAS, STAY OUTTA MY WAYY!" she screeched and ran down the hall.

"Taz...w-" I looked at Bug, who was staring at me. I looked back at him then shook myself. "TAZ!" I ran down towards her and Up ran the other way towards February. All I could think of is what if the Bugs got to her first?


	27. I am de proof

A/N: long time no see! sorry! :(

wow, we're already on chapter 27? WHAT IS THIS SORCERY? I was listening to the song "Let your heart hold fast" by Fort Atlantic while writing this chapter; if you have spare time and your bored I suggest go listen to it because it just reminds me of the two of them :)

Replies:

GuiltyBystanders: ...oops XD

* * *

"COME AND GET ME JOU STOOPID BUGS!" I yelled. Tears were streaming down my face - I knew this would be the end. I didn't have a reason to try and stay anymore. Up - the old Up that is - he's gone. That new Up may have said he loved me, but i couldn't feel it. I loved the old Up. "See me here? SEE ME HERE? ITS FOLLOW DE LEADER!" I yowled as I plunged into an opening in the corridor.

I heard their buzzing and then I felt their points plunge into my chest. "What da?!" I nearly sobbed. They were... laughing? I felt it happen again twice before I crumbled to the ground in a mess, a dying lump of flesh and clothes.

"RRRGGGAAAAAAHHHHHH! TAZ!" I heard Up's voice vibrate through the corridor and his boots slamming against the floor. "NOOOO!" he cried as he rounded the corner and saw me. He panted, before he pulled one of the bugs off of me... "GET OFF HER!" I felt all the points leave, and I lay there, shocked.

"You want blood?" he coughed. "WELL TAKE IT!" he ripped off his vest. "C'MON! I SAID TAKE SOME." One of the bugs latched onto him.

"No!" I yelled. His eyes were wild.

"That all you got?" He held his stance as the second one joined its brother.

"Up don't do dis!"

"C'mon big guy, its all you can eat." Up teased the last one, who flew over and began to drain him from his shoulder blade. "You damn bugs..." he muttered, before slumping on the ground.

"N-no!" Up was spread eagle on the floor. His face was pale, but he was still breathing... just. "Up!" I closed my eyes from the scene in front of me. "Damn jou." I opened them again to search his face for the last time. "DAMN JOU, JOU DAMN FOOL." I looked at my boots. "Damn jou and jour big, damn heart."

"You...want...blood?" a sickening voice coughed. It was Up. He was standing up... his robot half was forcing him into a sitting position. His eyes were open. He looked... alive! "Then take it." he tore one of the Bugs off himself and pointed it into his one heart. Take it... ALL!" he yelled. Suddenly all three of the mosquitoes burst. Up was half crouched on the ground but staring straight at me, unaware of the puny bugs exploding. I stared straight back.

"Up..." I stood up. "How did jou...?"

"Make them violently explode?" he calmly finished my sentence. "I raised my heartbeat, using breathing exercises. "Their puny bodies must not've been able to handle all that blood! Bug was right! I just needed to learn how to kill with my heart!" he looked at me with his arms outstretched. "I KILLED THEM ALL TAZ! I KILLED THEM ALL!" he sounded like an excited ten year old. "I'M STILL A KILLER! OAH I'M STILL A KILLER!"

"THAT'S GREAT!" I yelled and he pulled me into a hug. It was just like before; Up and me. He was tough again. "Jou know... I used to think that I was de proof jou didn't need de balls to be tough. Now I know - Jou are de proof! Dat jou dont need a skin sack and testicles to be one tough son of a bitch!"

"Thanks Taz!" he grinned. "Now c'mon. Lets go help out the rest of them." I nodded. "Quick! Hop on my back - I can run faster than the two of us combined!" he held out his hand and I took it, before he lifted me over his shoulders and I sat piggy-backed like I was a child.

We ran towards the battle, and I was sure that either of us could take down the world now.


	28. Returning to the Academy

a/n: *awkward turtle*

* * *

I stood beside Up as he read Bug's short eulogy.

Specs and Krayonder stood solemnly to the right of us, whilst Tootsie and Tin-Can were standing not to far to our left. Tootsie had a face of confusion whilst Tin-Can stared straight ahead. February was making baby-dying-seal-chokey noises near to them. At our feet was a shoebox with Bug's remains in them.

"Room for one more?" a familiar voice called from behind us as we prepared to dig the grave.

"B-BUG!" February yelled and ran towards him. He was... orange...? "It really is you!" Everyone began to greet him and he looked at the shoebox.

"I'm the ambassador for this Planet and the G.L.E.E! I get to go with you guys!" Bug grinned. February started her baby-dying-seal-chokey noises again, but was smiling this time.

"HEY ERRYBODY!" Tootsie yelled. "Let's turn this funeral... into a wedding!" he tore a candy ring from his front pocket and looked coyly at Tin-Can, before getting on one knee and grinning as she nodded beserkly. The pair boot-shuffled towards Up, who beamed. Then it hit me, Commanders were ordained to marry couples on the Battlefield.

"Do you, Tootsie Megagirl, take this Robot to be your lawfully wedded machine?"

"Hell yea!"

"And do you, Ultrabeam Megagirl, take this man to be your lawfully wedded Husband?"

"Afirmitive!" she beamed.

"Well by the power vested in me by the state and county of Moville Alabama, I pronounce you Man Vs Machine!" he held a hand between them, before lowering it. "FIGHT!"

Instead of fighting, the pair locked lips, sealing their love. I frowned. The last wedding I was at was George and Freya's. Strange to think she's pregnant right now.

* * *

We were nearing the academy, when Bug brought up Space Claw.

"We have to tell him about his son."

"We have to tell him that what he did was wrong!" February exclaimed.

"We have to have people on our side first." Krayonder frowned. "We can't simply waltz into his office and yell at him!"

"We can get people on our side." I was muttering before I could stop it. It was the first time since we left I'd spoken up. "H-hand me the telepod." I held my hand out, and Specs pressed the intership communication device into my hand, before I dialed the number.

"May I help?" the voice of the Academy's answering device replied after the third ring. I muttered the code down the receiver, before another voice answered me.

"Communicating name and partner please."

"Communication from uno Lieutenant Taz to Nurse Okinshiawa."

"Communication granted." the line began to ring again.

"Hello?" Saki's soft voice picked up.

"Hola."

"Taz?"

"Listen, Saki. I need to tell jou something."

* * *

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Saki asked me as she followed February, Krayonder and I down the hallway.

"Trust us." February turned and winked at her, and she blinked back.

"This isn't logical, we should have more back up!"

"We have as much as we can get right now." I growled. "George and dem two ensigns he's got had better follow Megagirl's orders or dey'll get blown sky high!"

"We'd better start, we're near his office." Krayonder muttered.

"Wish me luck." February blinked and moved round the corner to face the steel door, before knocking on it calmly. Krayonder pulled out a computer tablet and began to run a system on it.

"Is de tracker working?" I hissed as we placed the receivers in our ears. The other two groups had put theirs in long ago.

"Who am I? Specs?" Krayonder growled. Suddenly the sound leapt into our ears...

_"What are you doing here? I thought I told my son to kill you now."_

_"Y-your son is dead, sir."_

_"What?"_

_"He was killed by the bugs, sir."_

_"Those evil bugs-"_

_"No! It was your son who was evil!"_

_"If he was evil, then I am too."_

* * *

a/n: SUSPENSEEE


	29. The Flood

A/N: enjoyyyyy

* * *

"I'm not stupid" February muttered. "I knew you were just using me for my body."

"Just for your Gag reflex, but yes. You only graduated because of your... deformity." Space-Claw's words spat out like knives.

"You wont have the chance to do this to anybody else, I'll make sure of that." She stupidly told him.

"Thanks for warning me." his voice smoothed into a purr, and Taz facepalmed. THAT STUPID SCHIENTIST! "I have a feeling you have back up nearby..."

"No." she replied hastily.

"Well then, so how about we flood this level-"

"No!" she screeched.

"Too bad..." he began, but then Taz knew this had to be go-time.

"GO!" she yelled into Krayonder's Reciever, and she felt the feet slamming onto the floor around her as they all ran to the office.

February's eyes were wide, and Space-Claw didn't seem to be caught off guard. He smiled at the ranger surrounding him, almost tauntingly. Taz stood pointing the zapper's head straight at him.

"Taz."

"Space-Claw."

Up and Bug ran through the door at that moment. The commander thrust his way to the front.

"Commander." Space-Claw smiled.

"Sir." Up nodded. "D-"

"Isnt that nice?" Space-Claw smiled. "The _unstoppable _duo will die together."

"We wont die." Taz growled.

"I think you will." he smiled. His hand rested on the desk, suddenly moved upwards. Placed where his index finger was resting, was a small button that Taz had never noticed. It was a grey mettalic colour which made it blend into the desk perfectly, and not even Up had noticed it before.

"What did you do?" Mega-Girl's cold voice rang out. Space-Claw's hand reached out towards her, and pulled her towards him.

"At least my Mega-Girl unit will survive." he muttered, unplugging her battery circuit. Her head bowed, and she closed her eyes as she shut down.

"Mega-girl!" Tootsie tried to force forward, copying Up, but it was too late. A large glass tube encased the pair, and suddenly they both shot up through the tube, just as the sprinklers started to pour down on the group in the office.

* * *

A/N: short chapter I know, but VERY IMPORTANT!


	30. I love you

**A/N: *le stare* I am sorry this took so long, but I am back from the dead, ish :3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Starship or any of the characters, I own the plot ya**

"Dis is LOCO!" Taz screeched as the water was rising.

In the previous five minutes, Tootsie had refused to budge from the glass tube. The thick accented man was scrabbling at the clear material, sobbing. The water wasn't rising fast, but for Taz, it was already capping her boots.

"Taz calm down!" Krayonder yelled

"We've gotta find the elevator!" February screamed.

"Space-Claw would've shut it off!" One of George's friends shook his head.

"Then we'll go to the stairwell." Up commanded. "You three-" he pointed at George and his friends "- get Tootsie up and outta here, I don't know, tell him Megagirl needs his help." The three men moved across to get the man away from the tube.

"Megagirl!" he was still deafly yelling, his eyes streaming.

"We're helping her! C'mon!" the other ensign yelled, and the four of them ran off.

"Bug! February!" Up barked. "Follow them and help them shoot down doors." The pair tailed them, the Bug finally on his first mission.

"Specs, go to the computer and try and send a warning to the rest of the ship." If there were any cracks in Up's mask of commander-ness, they weren't showing. "Candy-Ass! Stay with her and make sure you're both outta the office by the time the water reaches the third shelf of the bookshelf!" Krayonder nodded, and ran across to join the curly haired woman by the computer.

Taz frowned from where she was sitting.

"Taz, you're coming' with Me." he growled. Taz smiled.

"Sir, Yes, Sir!" she replied. Up smiled that's the first time she ever called him "Sir"

"What are we doing?" Taz asked as they ran. The water would be up to her knees, but Up was now insisting that he gave her a piggy back.

"Getting out the Civilians on this level." Up growled. They had made it to the other side of the level when Taz saw somebody floating, face down in the current. She slid off Up's back and lifted the head. It was one of the ensigns Taz recognized from the Mission that ended with Up's accident. He was clearly on guard duty when the flood began.

"C'mon." Taz was guided away by Up's calloused soldier hand wrapping into hers. As they ran, she looked down at them. Her tanned, Hispanic fingers wrapped in his pale robotic ones. It seemed... alien to her. Through all they'd been through, they were still completely different except for one thing - they were survivors.

"HELP!" came a cry along the hall. "HELP!" the pair ran towards the cries and saw three cadets standing on tables in the classroom, one of four on this level. Strange. Thought Taz. It's not school hours. They beckoned for them, before running further down the hall to the disused Armoury on the level. It was only used in emergencies, which this was. They left the armoury with Life jackets on and fully armed, before they retrieved another Ensign on guard, Up gave her his Life jacket and they struggled through the water towards the nearest Stairwell. Taz and the Ensign blasted down the door, but it wouldn't crack open. They ended up blasting a hole at the top and climbing through, before quickly ascending the stairwell. They we're not happy with the sound that greeted them halfway through the climb.

Thousands of pairs of metallic feet slamming against the cold floor.

Robots.

"Commander, what are we going to do?" The ensign squeaked.

Up stared straight ahead.

"Up." Taz growled.

"Yeah?"

"Don't leave me."

"I won't." He looked at her. "I promise."

The ensign swallowed hard and the cadets looked at each other. They were probably second years, and they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"The air vents!" one of the cadets yelled. She was tall with blonde curls and blue eyes that were ringed with red. _She's been crying. _Taz observed.

"Climb through!" Another one yelled. Taz raised her Zapper and shot at the fixtures, and the ensign kicked it off.

"Cadet's first! Be on your guard!" Up yelled. The girl with blonde hair went first, followed by the other two cadets. Taz nodded to the ensign who climbed in next. Up shoved Taz in next, and that was when the first robotic voices cried out.

**_DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE_**

"Up! C'mon!" She cried.

"I won't leave you, but I've gotta stay behind."

"DATS LOCO!" Taz was crying now. Since when did she cry?

"I'll survive. I'm half robot anyway." Up frowned, before lifting the vent cover back up.

"I won't let jou." Taz tried to push herself back through, when a torrent of water streamed through the grate. "I-I love jou, Up."

"I love you too. I'll be back soon." He frowned, before letting out a battle cry and running towards the robots, as Taz sobbed and let the current carry her down the shaft.

**A/N: I'm going to try and update again soon… hopefully. I'm sorry I've been really inactive lately, but I've had a lot on my mind I'd rather not openly talk about here. But thank you so much for the continued support and each review helps me update faster *Up voice* WELL, GO ON!**

**~BFS**


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